Ryan Holland

I currently have a 93 Chevy c1500 ext cab 5.7L 350 2WD. I’ve owned this truck since brand new and never plan on selling it for sentimental reasons. I just replaced both rear wheel cylinders and installed a new spring kit as pads were not bad at all. Upon completion I was about to go on a test drive and while in reverse the rear end locks up. By the way the truck dumps down it feels like the right rear. But I could be mistaken. Once I put it in drive it is still locked up but I can manipulate the brake pedal and get a slight clunk to get it to release. But I can’t go far cause once I apply the brakes it locks right back up (both forward and reverse) But it seems reverse will do it constantly. I’m stuck and was about to drive it from Florida back to Michigan for a couple weeks which I do several times a year with the truck.

Added note: The reason I even started messing with the rear brakes. Is because I was backing my truck out of my driveway and got stuck tearing a rut in my driveway. (Everything is sand in Florida... I didn’t know at that time until I got the truck unstuck finally that my right rear wheel was locking up. Pulled the drum off and noticed the wheel cylinder was wasted. So in turn I just replaced both sides since I was in there. Also I bought all the needed items to do a fluid change on the rear differential as I thought that may have been part of the issue as well. But once I fixed the rear brakes after that incident, it has drove great. I think I have been driving it for a month or two Without issue and now I’m back at square one. Only this time once it locks up I can manipulate the brake pedal while in drive to hear that clunk and get it unstuck. While before I had to let the truck sit for awhile and it naturally released itself.

This was my first time doing brake drum work. I feel like it’s somthing I may have done wrong but can’t figure out what. Are the drums supposed to be tightly pressed against the wheel cylinder or should a little play be allowed? Also, I have eliminated the E Brake cables completely as I am working on converting the rear drums to disc brakes down the road. So to my knowledge this isn’t an issue with the E Brake.

If anyone has any insight on where I should go next or may know if I didn’t turn that drum separator screw in/out enough. Then please let me know. Any help or guidance would be extremely appreciated. Thank you for your time.

oldchevy

Take the rear drums off and double check everything to make sure all the springs are installed correctly and nothing has come loose. Compare your work to a diagram of a brake set that you can get off of google.

Ryan Holland

Ok I will see what diagrams I can find online, thank you for the info. Is it possible that some of the springs are just worn out? If so is there a way to find out visually? Also I’ve never replaced the drums themselves. They are the original and I don’t have the proper tool to measure the wear on it accurately. I wasn’t sure if they wear down as quickly as brake rotors and if I’m dew for new ones.