Smoking Brakes
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New User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 15
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From: Simi Valley USA
Smoking Brakes
Hello Guys, About 5 months ago the rear brakes on my 93 F350 Dullie would start smoking. The ABS light would come on after I would drive for about 25 minutes and then the brakes would apply and it would feel like I was driving with the parking brake on. When I let the truck cool down for a couple of hours I could drive it again but it would happen after 25 minutes again. After a while it would happen sooner. I changed the brake shoes, springs and had the drums turned twice before it stopped and it has been fine since then. Yesterday it started again and I thing it must be more than just changing shoes and springs.
Has anyone out there has this same problem or can you suggest what else I should look at? Emerengy brake system? ABS? Computer? What would cause the brakes to apply themselves spriatakly like that?
Any help would be appreciated.
Has anyone out there has this same problem or can you suggest what else I should look at? Emerengy brake system? ABS? Computer? What would cause the brakes to apply themselves spriatakly like that?
Any help would be appreciated.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,372
Likes: 14
From: West Cornwall, CT
This sounds like the rear brakes are not releasing properly after they are applied. If the brake shoes touch the drum, they will get tighter as you drive and they heat up.
Try looking for things that would prevent the brake shoes from fully retracting. Weak or missing retract springs, a bad brake cylinder (only one side would be affected), a faulty rear brake hose that does not allow brake fluid to return to the master cylinder, bad ABS proportioning valve, or a faulty master cylinder.
A good brake technician should be able to spot the problem and fix it. If your brakes were done professionally they probably replaced everything except for the rear brake hose and the ABS valve. I'd go for those items before thowing lots of dollars at a new rear brake job. My vote is for the ABS valve - it should be located on the inner driver's side frame rail just about 1 feet back from the front wheel.
Lou Braun
Try looking for things that would prevent the brake shoes from fully retracting. Weak or missing retract springs, a bad brake cylinder (only one side would be affected), a faulty rear brake hose that does not allow brake fluid to return to the master cylinder, bad ABS proportioning valve, or a faulty master cylinder.
A good brake technician should be able to spot the problem and fix it. If your brakes were done professionally they probably replaced everything except for the rear brake hose and the ABS valve. I'd go for those items before thowing lots of dollars at a new rear brake job. My vote is for the ABS valve - it should be located on the inner driver's side frame rail just about 1 feet back from the front wheel.
Lou Braun
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New User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 15
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From: Simi Valley USA
Well good luck Gutter. I found a post on the web form a FTE user from earier this year and he had the same problem and said the new RABS valve did the trick. He said he got the valve at Napa for about $150. which is about half of what Ford wants for it. let me know how your goes and i'll do the same.
Thread Starter
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New User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 15
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From: Simi Valley USA
Well I finally put that proportioning valve in and it solved my problem. It was so easy to install except the brake line nuts were very hard to remove and my flair nut wrenchs rounded the corners. I ended up having to use the good old vice grips. I wonder if someone makes a better flair wrench that would tightened around the nut???
