Replaced rear brakes - now 1 side hot & grabby

[SBC_YJ]

1995 K1500, 11" rear drum brakes. Brakes were working ok, but shoes were worn and master cylinder showed some seepage. So I replaced the master cylinder, wheel cylinders, shoes and hardware. Had drums turned by a good machine shop.

Now the right rear gets hot and grabby in normal driving around town. When I stop after driving 3-4 miles, the right rear wheel is hot to the touch. The left rear wheel is cool.

I have adjusted and bled them repeatedly, pedal feels firm and the brakes work well. I've replaced at least a dozen drum brakes in my life, so this ain't my first rodeo. I'm stumped. Any ideas before I take it to a shop?

 

[454cid]

I would suspect the parking brake cable. That's what it was when my truck got hot on the left side.

 

[SBC_YJ]

I would suspect the parking brake cable. That's what it was when my truck got hot on the left side

What in particular was your parking brake cable doing? Sticking?

 

[Nad_Yvalhosert]

I gotta ask, just 'cuz...
You made sure the short shoe is forward, and the long shoe is on back?
You didnt install 2 short on left, and 2 long shoes on the right?
You cleaned the surfaces off: cut drum shavings, and greasy fingerprints from lining material?
You dont have grooves in the backing plate, the contact points are smooth and lubed?
The left is bled well, line isn't kinked?

Shyts and giggles, swap drums side to side, adjust and test drive

 

[SBC_YJ]

I gotta ask, just 'cuz...
You made sure the short shoe is forward, and the long shoe is on back?
You didnt install 2 short on left, and 2 long shoes on the right?
You cleaned the surfaces off: cut drum shavings, and greasy fingerprints from lining material?
You dont have grooves in the backing plate, the contact points are smooth and lubed?
The left is bled well, line isn't kinked?

Shyts and giggles, swap drums side to side, adjust and test drive

Yes on all of the above, short shoe forward, contact points sanded and lubed. All looks good, and I've done a few of these. At this point I think the e-brake cable is the most likely suspect.

 

[454cid]

What in particular was your parking brake cable doing? Sticking?

I beleive so. I was not the person working on the brakes and it was long ago enough that I don't recall if the shop disconnected that cable for me, or if I did. I never fixed it, I just have gone without a parking brake. That'll get half the internet upset, but almost no one in MI uses them. We don't have the hills that require them, and they rust up and stick if you do try to use them when they haven't been regularly used.

 

[CrustyJunker]

Yep, you're not kidding. I dare not often test the parking brakes in my automatic vehicles. I do like the convenience with a manual trans...Rust belt problems.

Mine had the same behavior - noticeable drag from a stop, a hot wheel on one side, and kept doing it regardless of adjustment. New cable fixed it!

 

[Nad_Yvalhosert]

Yep, you're not kidding. I dare not often test the parking brakes in my automatic vehicles. I do like the convenience with a manual trans...Rust belt problems.

Mine had the same behavior - noticeable drag from a stop, a hot wheel on one side, and kept doing it regardless of adjustment. New cable fixed it!

I live in the heart of the salt belt. Our winters take their toll, but my parking brakes all work, on ALL my vehicles... Because I have trailer hitches on all of them (except the Impala)
My '88 GMC 1500, '95 Chevy 2500, '98 2500 Suburban, my '00 Yukon, her '10 Grand Caravan, her '14 Impala.
New Yuck state annual inspections require them to work, and it's not hard to change the cables if they're seized.

O.P.: if nothing else, tear down the brakes and put a pair on vice grips on the end of the parking cable and pull it till it's not sticking anymore... At least that way you can rule out the cables as the problem.

 

[wirlybird]

My 1997 Tahoe 4X4 has had the RR sticking brake issue for ever it seems.
A few years back I had the rears completely redone.
Brakes, cylinders, hardware and drums.
Seemed ok for a while but now it sticks again.
Leave from a stop and you feel some resistance then a thump like sound and you feel it release.

I don't use the e-brake but the peddle seems to travel and release ok.

Odd thing is that when the rear brakes were way out of adjustment it still did the "sticking" thing on the right side.
RR also won't bleed according to the dealer.
It's going back at some point to resolve the bleed issue and the hanging brake issue.
I'll be sure to mention the e-brake.

 

[reservoir dog]

I use my e-brake a couple times a week at the boat ramp, I don't want to be on "you tube boat ramp fails". Also using it keeps the rears adjusted iirc .