Now after I have done the rear chevy wheel cylinder swap the rear drums will lock up very easy. I have read many posts that this is an issue with the chevy wheel cylinders not matching up with my rear ABS system. I am going to switch back to my stock dodge wheel cylinders unless their is something I can do? Any suggestions?

Thanks.....

Dave

 

You've prol installed larger bore cylinders. They take much less pressure to lockup. Why did you put on Chevy parts on a Dodge anyway?

 

When the shoes wear a little more it should ease up some. Id look into a manual proportioning valve (summit has them) and turn the pressure down a bit until theres real weight in the bed to make use of the better brakes.

 

Monnshyne the chevy rear wheel cylinders are huge improvement for breaking when I am loaded or towing. Which I do a lot. But they will lock up much faster than normal when empty or on a panic breaking situation. The wheel cylinders where only $12.00 for both at NAPA at my cost. So I thought I would give it a shot. What is weird is the rear did not lock up until this week. I did a complete brake job front and rear one month ago. And now the rear has started to lock on a panic stop...... I changed out the ABS sensor for the rear last night but it did not change the lock up issue..

Thanks for the replies ....

Dave

 

You might try backing the adjustment down a few clicks---it fixed mine

 

^^Ditto above^^, plus I was thinking that although the rear brake job is only weeks old(or maybe because of), the rear axle seals or even the new cylinders may have leaked a little onto the shoes - we all know what that does!! It wouldn't be the first time that happened, I mean right after all-new brakes...it sure has to me. I'd say if backing off the adjusters doesn't quickly resolve the brake lockup, you may need to examine everything inside there(again). Hope you get 'er fixed, ANY brake problem is worst kind of problem to me! Good luck! :-)

 

Ok guys I found out something with my brakes. The rear passenger drum is the one that seems to lock up the most. I noticed that the E Brake cable seems to be hanging up and some how allowing my star wheel to self adjust the drum when I back up. If set the parking brake then release the E brake the rear passenger drum will start to tighten every time I move the wheel backwards. But if I grab the E Brake cable right where it goes into the rear passenger drum and pull on it it will not self adjust anymore. So the E cable going to the rear passenger must have an issue. But how is the E Brake allowing the star adjustment to self tighten? When I move the passenger rear I can see the entire star wheel shaft moving back and forth. But the drivers rear does not do that. I can not duplicate this with the drum off. Only with drums on....

Thanks for all the help guys....

Dave

 

Oh I was going to say E-brake next!! No, actually I forgot it when I posted above...sounds like the worn-out star wheel adjuster is the problem for sure then...bad part is, that is exactly what my rightside E-brake cable does also, so you'd wonder why I didn't remember...uh...remember...uh...what was it we were discussing here??

 

So 92 Dually are you saying the star wheel could be the issue? Does NAPA sell the star wheel?

 

Yeah it sure can be, my truck did the same thing, and NAPA does have the adjusters. Depending on how good your local NAPA parts guy is to find it in the books, you can get the adjusters alone or with several different kits of all the hold-down hardware, springs and all. Another reason to buy the entire kit is the self-adjuster cable arm gets worn where it turns the star wheel and won't hold it in place. Then there are new hold-down and return springs, etc etc. I went with the entire set as there was some rust on the parts and had the drums off already, right? Anyways, yeah the star wheels can and do get worn to the point they will not 'click' and hold in place. Remember too to make sure the E-brake cable is working freely as that is usually more commonly the problem when it binds in place, holding the shoe against the drum(and operating the adjuster as well). That ought to do 'er!! Good luck! :-)

 

autozone has the brake "kit" includes the adjuster...another plate..a couple springs..etc...cheap as well

 

The reason for using the Chevy parts is that they are a larger bore, so there is much more braking effect from the rear brakes. They are a larger yet than the cyls that come on the 3500's in the same model year. This is a very cheap mod for increased braking, and the parts fit our trucks perfectly.

 

Mine will lock up, then the RWAL kicks in and makes a loud pop when the pressure is released. Freaked me out the other day... first time I'd had to make a panic stop and thought something int the front suspension broke. Man, that valve really makes a loud pop when it bleeds alot of pressure off at once!

 

its not necessarily the valve..sometimes the shoes get adjusted or pushed too far and get hooked inside the drum...when u take off ur drum you'll know what i mean...usually the tell tell sign is when u try and take off ur drums and u can't and then u have to back off the star wheel...the pop is usually the shoes overcoming that or those lil mounting surfaces(that are supposed to be greased) behind the drum on which the shoes are supposed to sit have developed grooves...that's what happened to mine...i lil sanding paper and some grease helped that for me

 

i have noticed people with RWAL ABS only never run into problems after installing the bigger cylinders...people with 4WD ABS(like me) can't get things to tune right