I'm thinking of cutting out the floorboards Flintstone style because I think my feet could do a better job...

Still trying to diagnose this issue: Trying to figure out if I need a Rear Wheel Speed Sensor or a Rear Differential ABS Sensor.
My ABS and BRAKE lights came on a month ago so I changed my shoes and drums not realizing that might not be the problem. Since then I can't seem to even get them to adjust, automatically or by hand. My brakes are not locking up, but when they engage it feels extremely weak and the harder I press on the pedal it starts stuttering and shaking.
My trailer brake controller does not work automatically anymore either, if that helps to diagnose.
I accidentally reversed my shoes with the primary in the rear, but fixed it in under 100 miles. I thought the shoes would wear themselves in. Have I ruined them.
I will have time this weekend to try some stuff. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

I am also thinking that since I have taken them apart so much, I wouldn't mind doing it one more time and doing the Chevy 1-ton wheel cylinder fix I recently read about, I just want them to work again.

 

The sensor on your differential is for the ABS. The sensor that powers your speedometer is mounted on your transfer case. Not sure what that has to do with not being able to adjust your brakes.

One place to look for the ABS light problem is the two wire bundle connectors that are located behind the drivers side fender liner. One of them has the wire from the ABS sensor and also has the trailer brake wire. I found about a teaspoon of water inside the connector shorts the trailer brakes to the ABS and turns on the light.

When you replaced the shoes did you check the drums for run-out? Make sure every bit of grease was cleaned off the braking surfaces? Did you go out and test drive the truck and hammer down the brakes?

 

I will check everything for water.

I degreased my drums thoroughly.

I did not slam them going forward, just slammed the parking brake at 40 in reverse.

I will also bleed it this weekend.

 

My ABS & Brake lights were on a few years ago after a brake job, and I just slammed the brakes on going about 35 and that fixed it.

 

I just noticed that there is a little plastic clip attached to a wire broken off of the drivers side of the brake master cylinder. It is clear/ white. What does this do? Where can I find that part?

 

When self adjusting the brakes (if you're lucky and it works) speed and slaming up the brakes makes absolutely no difference.
What's important is you come to a complete stop while braking in reverse.
Best done on a paved surface so the tires don't slip.
Some folks say they have better luck using the parking brake to self adjust.

 

A friend at work at the same problem with his trailblazer. Different vehicle, I know, but I spoke with a friend that is a mechanic. He said there could be an air bubble stuck in the abs module somewhere, and the best way to release the air bubble was to activate the abs, then bleed the system first by gravity, then either with hand pump or the old fashion way. Sure enough, the soft pedal went away after hitting the brakes on a sandy road, then bleeding the whole system through. ABS light turned off as well.

 

Sounds like your drums are out of round and you may have air in the brake system. I just did a complete brake job on a 95 3500 and had same problems. I also had to replace master cylinder because it was bypassing. Try just using your emergeny brake while going slow, if rear drums are out of round you will will notice the truck shuddering when coming to a stop. Also have your rear drums checked for oversize and out of round. I had to exchange two drums from parts house, their drums were so far out of round I couldn't use them. Their master cylinder also was bypassing. So I had to do the job twice. MADE IN CHINA should I say more. So beware when buying the cheap aftermarket brake parts, you may be doing the job twice.

 

I changed out the wheel cylinders, no more nose diving!
I did the differential sensor.
I got my drums turned, the were way out of round.
I use a hydraulic brake bleeder and flushed the system with new DOT3.
I disconnected my batteries for a half hour.

Still very soft pedal, and my lights are still on.
What's next on the list? Bench bleed master? New master? New brake lines?

 

If the pedal slowly creeps down with the brakes applied it's likely the master.
Spongy could be the hoses or air still in the system.

 

I've seen a list of reasons the two lights will come on somewhere around here...not sure where though.

What I do know though is, check your brake pedal switch. It has different circuits in it for brake lights(make sure they are working), cruise, ABS, etc. If it is stuck on, the lights will come on. If you hold your foot on the pedal for long enough after starting they will come on also. The wire below the master is for the proportioning valve and if you have a leak in the system, the biased pressure pushes a shuttle which grounds the wire and turns the lights on. The RWAL sensor on the diff which you replaced also will turn on the light, but normally you lose the speedo also when that goes out. I think maybe if the parking brake is on for too long, or at speed, the ABS light might come on also, but not sure. There's others, but that's about all I know.

My pedal is real spongy when the rear drums aren't adjusted. The automatic adjusters hardly ever work well in these trucks, so every time I'm in there I make sure to remove it, clean it, buff it, lubricate/grease it and adjust the shoes out as far as possible by hand before putting the drum back on(without the shoes getting in the way) then adjust them more until they just barely drag and maybe back of a hair or leave them.

If the adjustment is as tight as can be, then it's got to be air or hose swell making it spongy.