Rear Brakes Seized Up!

[my pos mounty]

You should be able to turn the tires when the truck is raised. Be concerned if you can't.

If you can push the caliper puck back into the body, then your caliper is good. Look at the slide pins, if those are rusted, replace them so that the caliper will not hang up on those.
Rusty appearing calipers work fine, its not about how they look.

Basically, if there are grooves present on the interior of the rotor where the e-brake comes in contact with it, replace the rotor, brake pads and the e-brake shoes with the associated hardware kits. Do it all at once with quality parts, and you won't have to do this job again for a couple of years.

 

[madbrown]

I can push the caliper piston back into the body, and I went ahead and reinstalled onto the rotors. I weighted the brake pedal, as I had no one to help, and checked the pads to see if they were engaged and they were not; I was still able to spin the tire? I was able to do this in park and neutral? As for the rotors they are no grooves to speak of, just rust build up. Where the pads and shoes engaged the metal is smooth and clean.

 

[my pos mounty]

I can push the caliper piston back into the body, and I went ahead and reinstalled onto the rotors. I weighted the brake pedal, as I had no one to help, and checked the pads to see if they were engaged and they were not; I was still able to spin the tire? I was able to do this in park and neutral? As for the rotors they are no grooves to speak of, just rust build up. Where the pads and shoes engaged the metal is smooth and clean.

Did you, by chance, open the bleeder valve on the caliper to get it to release?
If so, now you need to bleed all the air out of the brake system or the brakes will not operate normally.
OR
When you "weighted" the pedal, was the truck running?

 

[madbrown]

Initially I did turn the bleeder valve, but literally a fraction of a turn, then tightened it back up. Also I did not have the vehicle running when I weighted the pedal.

 

[my pos mounty]

OK, So, if you didn't get a big squirt of fluid out of the bleeder and let air into the system, then try doing that "weighted" pedal trick again.
I think that the vac booster wasn't boosting the effort applied to the pedal, hence no braking force. Basically your weight wasn't heavy enough to overcome the fact that the vac booster had no vacuum.
Start the truck and SLOWLY apply the brakes. Do not slam them on, that may cause the rubber hose to burst. Push down the pedal slow and firm until it does not go any further, then do that again. THEN try your weighted pedal trick, it should work.

Do not be concerned about being able to turn one tire when the rear of the truck is up off the ground. The driveshaft will not turn, but the spider gears in your differential will. Totally normal.

 

[madbrown]

Turned on the vehicle and applied the brakes, and they engaged! So at this point I guess I'm looking at new parking brake shoes and kit, as I believe the rotors are alright for now.

 

[jremington59]

OK, So, if you didn't get a big squirt of fluid out of the bleeder and let air into the system, then try doing that "weighted" pedal trick again.
I think that the vac booster wasn't boosting the effort applied to the pedal, hence no braking force. Basically your weight wasn't heavy enough to overcome the fact that the vac booster had no vacuum.
Start the truck and SLOWLY apply the brakes. Do not slam them on, that may cause the rubber hose to burst. Push down the pedal slow and firm until it does not go any further, then do that again. THEN try your weighted pedal trick, it should work.

Do not be concerned about being able to turn one tire when the rear of the truck is up off the ground. The driveshaft will not turn, but the spider gears in your differential will. Totally normal.

I'm confused. Being a rear wheel drive vehicle, shouldn't the wheels be locked when the vehicle is in park?

 

[madbrown]

"Do not be concerned about being able to turn one tire when the rear of the truck is up off the ground. The driveshaft will not turn, but the spider gears in your differential will. Totally normal."

 

[my pos mounty]

I'm confused. Being a rear wheel drive vehicle, shouldn't the wheels be locked when the vehicle is in park?

Having the truck in park has nothing to do with the rear diff. The spider gears in the differential will still turn even though the driveshaft will not.
The spider gears will turn the wheels opposite directions, thereby holding the truck still when the driveshaft is locked and the truck is on the ground.

 

[jremington59]

I understand what you're saying now. Thanks for explaining it to me. I'm a little thick at times, lol.

 

[madbrown]

Well I finally got my new shoes and kit today. I've looked at the link for installing the kit, and it's been very helpful. However, I'm stuck doing this job alone and for the life of me I can't get the front top spring on. Everything else is installed, and I've been trying for over an hour (w/a spring wrench) the get the last front spring, but it ain't happening. I'm a missing out on a trick or something? The step by step forum mentions disconnecting a cable under the driver side of car, but I can't figure out what he's talking about. Suppose the be a pic, but not there, and he's doing it on a 96' as my is a XLT 98'. Thanks again everyone.

 

[madbrown]

At wits end!!!! Decided to clean scissors actuators while I was at, and now I've ripped the boot and can't get them hooked back onto the cables. I'm starting to think that ebrakes are overrated!? Only if I wasn't pulling a boat all the time. Sorry, bet had to vent. Goosefraba.....

 

[ronnie d.Ramsey]

replaced e brake shoes cables spring kit freed up accuators rotors pads adjusted e brake still wont hold for state inspection any ideas