Brake Help Please

[elwoods76]

Please give me some insight. So I am just about to go get the blazer licensed and my brakes start acting up. First I noticed that when I let off the gas to coast it feels like the brakes are engaging bringing me to a stop. So being the rocket scientist that I am I decide to get after it and see what happens. Decided I wanted to do a burnout and see what I could do, worked well. But when I stopped I was still in drive and not moving anywhere. step on the gas and it would move but not very willingly. Parked it and pulled the drums off the rear to find that the PO had put the passenger side back together without a brake shoe retainer spring. So I bought a spring kit and replaced them all. Took it out for a test drive rolled a few feet no problems but then it started again. not only that it was pulling me hard to the right. Jacked up the front end took the passenger front wheel off and the rotor would not turn at all and was hot. Took off the caliper, the rotor turned fine so off to the part store to return the 5 month old caliper. New caliper on, fits better and rotor turns, bled the brake line and doesn't turn so freely. Took for a drive and it was coasting when i let off but once I really stepped on the brake and we are back to not moving. My thoughts are brake line or master cylinder? Any insights much appreciated!!!!!!

[tobiahr]

i've had the same problem 3 other times. once it was foriegn matter in the proportioning valve. twice it was stuff in the brake lines. eithere way bad news.

[Jonboy]

Check the hoses. Sometimes they will collapse internally, and give symptoms of a stuck caliper.

[elwoods76]

Shameful Confession-IN the years that I have been wrenching I have yet to redo an entire brake system. Never had any problems before now so I guess I am saying that I felt really dumb last night trying to replace the hose. The end on the frame won the first round and I ran out of light. The other problem is that I find I learn faster doing the job than researching before hand so needless to say I screwed up the c clip that holds the line in place through the frame rail. Now I am stuck trying to undo a soft and almost stripped 3/8 brake line. Helpful tips?????? Thanks again!

[tobiahr]

1. Get flare nut wrenches if you don't already have some.
2. Buy or borrow a tubing cutter, bender and flaring tool and someone that knows how to use them if you don't already.
3. Buy about 6 ft of hardline from the local autoparts store.
4. Remove the hardline from the proportioning valve and cut at the C clip if you have to to get it out.
5. Fab the new line to match the old.
I had the exact problem when replacing the passenger side front soft line. Took about 4 hours of fighting with it before I went to the part store and got the new hard line and about an hour to actually fix it after that. The person that knows how to use tubing cutter, bender and flare tool is the most important step other than the flare nut wrenches

[elwoods76]

Thanks guys for the help. With a little gingerly pursuasion I got the new line bolter to the caliper. Was hitting the upper ball joint so I took the caliper off and bolted it up and just bent it enough to clear. Brake is working great on passenger side. Now just have to do the drivers. Again Thanks!!!!