Hello all I am new here to the forum. On my 94 ram my left rear drum keeps locking up. Within the past year I put all new brake lines on, the front has new calipers and hoses, the rear has new slave cylinders / wheel cylinders both rear drums have new springs in them the truck also has new drums both sides. I keep adjusting the star wheel for a slight drag and I even back off the left side to try to get the right to lock up and I'm having no luck in the left rear drum keeps locking up on me. I also forgot to mention I also have a new master cylinder and I bled all bleeders on four wheels at least three times with no air in them. This problem is driving me nuts any suggestions?

Also my abs is not hooked up both fuses are pulled, not sure if this is my issue.

 

Well, just a thought. Did you put new brake shoes on the rear? If so by chance are the brake shoes on the left side reversed? The lining on the front shoe should be shorter. Just a thought

 

I have not replaced the shoes, no. I actually looked at that yesterday to make sure both shoes had the smaller side towards the front and they do. I do appreciate the idea!

 

OK, Then have a look at this. Check the anti rattle spring on the parking brake bar. Is it compressed or loose. There must be 1/16 to 1/8 gap between the bar and primary shoe. If not it will make the stopping to sensitive, on that side. You will have to de-adjust the parking brake on that side before you do your brake adjustment. Then adjust till you feel a drag.

 

Ok I took a quick look and it looks like my parking brake isn't even hooked up, it's just loose in there and I would need new cables to adjust it.(bought the truck as a project a bit ago so I never really used the parking brake).

I will have to order new cables and install to let you know. Unless they are ok disconnected and do not effect it if it's too loose?

 

OK, One more thing. Was it locking up before you put new drums on? Was it locking up before you put new wheel cylinders on? Could be a bad drum, even if it new. Sometimes defects are also sold. Did you switch them side to side to see it the left still locks up? Did you upgrade the wheel cylinders? Upgraded wheel cylinders are larger to give you more stopping power. Are the wheel cylinders both the same size?

 

Yeah the left wheel was locking up before I installed the new drums but I can give it a shot by switching the drums.

Left wheel was locking up before new wheel cylinders. I did the upgraded cylinders at the same time both sides with the Chevy one ton cylinders hoping to solve the issue but it didn't.