I have a 1995 F350 4x4 powerstroke. problem started about a month ago, when I back my boat down the ramp and touch the brakes it gives me a shudder and a god awful popping grinding sound like the brakes are locking up. brakes are fine backing up empty or in any other use. Any ideas?

 

Safe to assume all the noise/shuddering/popping/grinding is emanating from the rear then? If so what do the shoes/drums look like? all hardware in good shape and shoes properly adjusted?

 

Yes, everything is going on at the rear of the truck, no noise up front. I haven't pulled the hubs to take a look yet, won't get a chance until next week. The brakes were replaced professionally just about 1 year ago, noise is fairly recent. Lot's of brake dust from the front but no noise there. It is loud enough from the rear that heads turn when I am backing the boat down the ramp though!!

 

Trailer brake or hitch issue not truck brakes issue?

 

It's funny, I can back up all day with no issues until I go to back the trailer down the ramp, then the popping and other noises start as soon as I touch the brakes. No, definitely not the hitch or the trailer brakes, it is coming from the truck, either the rear end or the brakes but only when I push on the brake pedal backing the trailer down a ramp.

 

Next question then, are they getting wet?

 

No, usually it is at the end of the day when I am loading the boat after 10-12 hours fishing or at the beginning of the day when I am launching. Not wet either time.

 

Is the boat ramp slick?

My guess the rear ABS is trying to do it's thing.

 

The ramp is totally dry.

 

What size/weight boat we talking about here? and its tongue weight?

Light little row boat or big heavy cabin cruiser? something in between?

Backing down the ramp without the boat produces the same grind shudder pop?

Sounds like gonna have to pull the drums make sure everything is in good shape, that you haven't suffered a broke spring don't have a shoe that lost a lining. Doubt the latter but wouldn't be uncommon to loose a spring or a self adjuster let go.

If a large heavy boat before doing so, even if not large and heavy, take a good look at its rear springs their bushings and the shackles for troubles, also take a real good look at the hitch itself it might not be the brakes. Braking in reverse and under load shifts load where it isn't when going forward, might be there just no noises accompanying it.

 

9200 lbs boat and trailer weight combined. Tongue weight around 700 lbs. However it does the same thing whether the boat is on the trailer and backing down or if I am backing down the trailer empty. Definitely coming from the rear of the truck and NOT the trailer springs or brakes. I have had my buddy tow the boat to the coast and launch it using his truck as well as back the trailer down empty to load the boat back on. No problems whatsoever and NO noise so it is definitely MY truck. I simply do not have time to tear in to it for at least another week, maybe week and a half.