Locking Rear Tire while Driving
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Junior User
Joined: Dec 2018
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Locking Rear Tire while Driving
Hello all, first time poster here. I’ve used this site for all of the problems I’ve ever encountered with all of my trucks and I’ve always found the answer here. I’m stumped on this one though. This morning I went out and started my 88 7.3 with 88,000 miles on it. Let it warm up for a little while and went on my way. I was doing about 45 on the highway and all of the sudden my rear right tire just locked up and started skidding. Left black marks all over the road. I came to a stop and checked it out, couldn’t see anything wrong. I put it in drive and tried to pull forward, it wouldn’t do it. So I tried it in reverse, and it backed up. So I went back to drive and it seemed to “disengage” it. Then I could drive normally again. I’ve been busting my brain trying to figure it out, and I read some other forums. I checked the e brake and I never use it because it hasn’t worked since I’ve had it. It’s a zf5, and I wasn’t pressing the brake when it happened. I’ve drove it around 5,000 miles since I’ve had it. I’ve never been into drum brakes before so I’m not sure what to expect on that end. I appreciate all of your help.
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Junior User
Joined: Dec 2018
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I was talking to a buddy of mine and he seems to think it’s the rear differential locked up. I put it in reverse when it happened and I was able to back up and then pull forward and drove like normal. Surely if it was the rear differential it would permanently be destroyed if that happened unless a huge chunk of something got wedged in between the gears right?
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Junior User
Joined: Dec 2018
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It is noisy when I’m driving with the windows down. Mostly because of the flat spot that is now on that tire, but I can also hear a slight clicking sound coming from that side. That’s why I’m agreeing more with you than the differential possibility. The linkage would cause a clicking sound of it was loose and flopping around. I felt the differential and it wasn’t hot, but the drum was. It was also covered in a black looking material that I didn’t see there before. The rear anti-lock light has been on since I got it but if you push down on the pedal as hard as you can the light will go off. I tried to bleed the brakes in the back, but the nut is rounded off on the back of the drum. The hard line going into the drum is also rounded off. Maybe I should just replace everything back there and forget about it?
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2011
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Pull the tire off. Then pull the drum and take a look. You'll see what's wrong pretty easily - look for shiny metal, loose parts etc.
Good news is that replacing brake parts is cheap... but you really do want to know that was the problem before doing all the work only to have it not fix the problem.
Good news is that replacing brake parts is cheap... but you really do want to know that was the problem before doing all the work only to have it not fix the problem.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2015
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This has to be brake related. If the differential locked up, and forced the two wheels to lock, then it would have simply kept you going in a strait line. If they locked up one you would have lost the gears for sure. I am of the opinion something has come loose, and locked up the brake. One of the shoes could have come lose, check the springs that hole the shoes in place. If the pad its self has separated it could also cause this, but that should be rather obvious to spot. Something locked up the brake, and I would imagine it had to do with something loose. Take it apart, and dig into the whole of it. A wheel bearing could in theory do this too. It would also lock up one tire, and disengage when you went into reverse. But either way the brake needs to come off. Check everything. The heat you built up in that one lock up probably roasted the grease.
A wheel locking up typically means brake, and if it does happen to be wheel bearing, they like to catch fire... Good luck.
Also check the surface of the rotor, look for the scaring that will help you identify the source of your troubles.
A wheel locking up typically means brake, and if it does happen to be wheel bearing, they like to catch fire... Good luck.
Also check the surface of the rotor, look for the scaring that will help you identify the source of your troubles.
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i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
i agree with the others. it has nothing to do with the rear differential, it is brake related. most likely shoe material broke off and wedged between the other shoe and drum.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2008
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When it locked up, was there a noise of any kind? When the transfer case went out of my cousins jeep it would do this. Driving down the road, locked up the *** end, put it in reverse, was fine, back to drive, good for an indeterminate amount of time. We were about 40 miles from home, ended up driving the last 10 or so in reverse... luckily we were on the way back from deer hunting and there was beer left over lol. None of this was on the hwy or even county roads of course, just blm / private 2 track stuff.
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Junior User
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The only noise I could hear was the screech of the tire skidding on the road. That was a low mile tire too. That’s disappointing. But it didn’t make any noise really that was coming from the truck. I mean no vibration, no shaking, no shimmy, it just happened all the sudden. I look behind me in the rear view and I’m leaving a long black trail from the back right tire. It didn’t act like it slowed it down either. But like I said. I only locked up the back right tire. Not the left. But I appreciate everyone’s input. I haven’t had a chance to dig into it yet due to the weather. I’m also leaning towards it being the brake. I’m pretty sure I have the sterling 10.25 with the 4:10 rear end. My dad’s truck which is a 97 has the same rear end I think which I did the wheel bearings on a couple years ago. I’m thinking about just tearing into the bearings and brakes all together to really get a deep inside look of what I have. I bought this truck on an auction and it was an “as-is” buy. Only bought it for 2K though. It sat for around 5-6 years and was only moved by a forklift. Probably should’ve done this from the start. Just glad I wasn’t loaded or anything.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2015
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Very common on old brakes, especially if it's been sitting before you bought it. If it really has 80k it may even be factory shoes in the back.
Drum brakes may be aggravating to work with, but they're pretty simple and when you slide the drum off you'll definitely notice if something is out of wack.
If you replace the shoes I recommend you change the wheel cylinders while your in there as your already right at it once the brake assembly is off
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