I just had new shoes, hardware, wheel cylinders, drums, leaf springs, rear shocks, and shackles put on. The brakes were done about 4 or 5 months ago and the springs and shocks just a few weeks ago. The rear brakes were locking up after I had the work done, but I thought they were just too tight. I loosened them a little but it only helped a little. Now it's starting to lock up pretty much everytime I apply the brakes. The ABS kicks on and the rear tires skid. I took the drums off today and didn't see any leakage or anything out of the ordinary. They weren't too tight and I readjusted them but they weren't out of adjustment much if at all. I looked at the Ford symptom chart and it says for brakes that lock up easily there could be sticking or binding components. I didn't see any. Then it says check parking brake components. Now I see they didn't hook up the equalizer bracket that goes to the front leaf spring hanger when they changed my springs so I assume thats why my parking brake pedal goes to the floor. Then it says check the shoes and linings, which are fine. The last thing it says is to check the fluid control valve. Which I'm guessing is the prop valve. The only way to check it according to Ford is swap it for a known working valve. One person told me that it could actually be a bad brake booster check valve. Is that possible? Anything else that's common? It's got 272,000 miles on the frame but everything's been changed that typically wears out at least once.

 

When I bought my 99 it was doing the same thing. I replaced all the hardware (springs, etc) in there and lubed all the movement/pivot points really good. Look at the contact points of the shoes to the backing plate and such. Seems like you have been pretty detailed in your rebuild so far. I didnt even do that much I dont think.

 

Have you taken your truck back to the place that did the brake work and ask them to check it out?

 

Have your brake drums checked for being out of round. I've had this before on some of the retired 98s. With new drums it is unlikely but stranger things have happened.

 

This isnt an answer just an observation. On every ford ranger ive owned(3---with god only knows how many miles combined) they all lock almost always lock up(end of driveway and then im good)...seems like its worse in the mornings. I dont know why. From an 1984, then a 91, then my current 95 they all have had real touchy rear brakes the first time or two i hit them. I never knew why i just got use to it as it wouldnt do it again til the next day or so after it sat for awhile.Strange but true.

 

Have you taken the drums off since this started? It sounds like the springs were installed wrong. I had my rear brake hardware fail on me earlier this year and spent 26hours on the bloody mess before I got it repaired. My drums are WAY out of round but my brakes no longer lock up. Can you imagine 6 hours of cursing, torch, hamering, and dremel grinding just to get ONE drum off? Since I had to do both rear sets multiply that x2. My wife and I have done brakes on Fords, GM's, MG's, Mopars, ect. and never encountered anything remotely the pita this brake job became.

 

same problem on my 94. But it is mainly moisture induced it seems. Read someplace once that the shoes tend to hold the moisture and then grab on the moist area, I dont know, do know after 2-3 stops they seem to clear up. No abs light, just grab. I really dont worry about it as they do not cause any issues.

 

I've had the vaccumm booster get so tired it locked the back brakes, usually you'll hear a bit of a "sigh" when you press the pedal if the booster is on it's way out, ie not letting your brakes release or release quickly.

 

I read your post because I recently replace everything except the brake lines on my 2004 Mazda B3000 (its a Ford). When I back up and apply the brakes, then go forward my drum brakes lock up and will not release. I backed off the adjusters to get the truck to go forward but if I back up again and try to go forward the brakes will completely lock up again. I realized that I did not lubricate internal rear brake drum moving parts. I had painted my backing plates and other parts on my drum brake overhaul which I believe is causing my brake shoes not to come back in when the brake pedal is released as the inside of the shoes make contact on small landings designed for shoe contact. I would rule out new machined brake drums that are very round and true, rule out any hydraulic leaks (new wheel cylinders) and rule out hydraulic proportioning valve and since I was careful not to use the parking brake in my test drive I'm ruling that out. When I drive forward slowly I notice that I feel and hear one large clunk which would be conducive with backing the adjusters off quite a bit giving the brake shoes more room for movement when the drum rotates forward with the wheel cylinders pushing out the shoes. My diagnostic/fix that you might try. Jack rear axle up, remove wheels, remove drums, lubricate friction areas, do not clean embedded material off drums, put drums on adjust adjusters until the drums barely start to rub, listen for sound. Now rotate one drum backwards while someone pushes brake pedal, drum should not turn at this point, then rotate same drum by hand forward, if drum locks up remove this drum, now ask someone to carefully press bake pedal "just a bit" caution! the drum is off at this point and you want to see not so much brake shoe movement outwards but to watch to see if the shoes retracts when you tell the assistant to release the small pedal depression. Primary and secondary shoe springs should pull shoes back in. Get this operation working with the drums back on and rotating with the sequence I described before putting wheels back on. Test drive with back up test first. If a pass-no lock up. Drive slowly with a few stops. Make sure you have screw drivers or adjuster tools with you. If this is a pass proceed to bedding brake procedure-same as front brake pad brake in. If lock up doesn't happen your good to go. Hope this was more helpful then the one liners.

 

This is appears to be a common issue. I've noticed it after driving through water, rain, or even on a foggy morning. Give it a few taps of the brake pedal and let the rust rub off before pulling out into traffic- no biggie.

Please note: owned the truck for 16 years; 2 different rear axles- same exact issue.

Learn to love it folks.