isaac338

I swear, I fix one thing and 5 more break...

Lately the truck's been acting wierd when it's first started up - the brakes are extremely touchy. The rear wheels will lock up with almost no braking pressure. I assume that means air in the LSPV or a faulty LSPV, but after two or three minutes the brakes go back to normal and act just fine. The problem will come back for a minute or two after the truck's been sitting. I haven't tried bleeding the LSPV, but I will. Any thoughts on that?

Also, the other day I disengaged the parking brake and the light stayed on. Fluid is at the max mark, and the light doesn't go out if I disconnect the fluid level sensor. The swich at the brake handle is connected, and the light dims when I press it in (but doesn't go out). Right around the same time I started noticing a grinding noise when I'm braking, presumably the pads on the PO's "refurb" caliper he installed when I bought the truck are shot.

I assume they're all connected somehow, but I can't see what would trip the brake light other than low fluid or a faulty handbrake switch (neither of which seem to be the case, but I'll test the switch to be sure).

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

Isaac

GSGALLANT

Sounds like contaminated brake shoes. Check to see if your rear axle seals or rear brake cylinders are leaking (remove your brake drums and check for signs of gear oil or brake fluid.) It doesn't take much of a leak to attract dust and crap that will make your shoes grab the drum for a few applications until they self-clean when you use them enough.

For the brake light, you tried mostly everything I would think of... try unplugging the parking brake switch behind the dash to see if it goes out. If it does, replace switch if required. Funny though, you say it dims when you press that switch in... dim brake light typically means low fluid. For the grinding, start off by checking to see if your pad wear indicators are rubbing on you rotors.

isaac338

Hopefully I'll find time today to pull off the drums. The light is definitely the switch; turns out I'm a moron. When the engine is running, hitting the brake switch turns off the light. Something's preventing the handle from hitting the switch, but that can't be too hard to figure out.

The grinding noise is probably front pads; I tried stopping just with the parking brake in a parking lot and I can't hear anything (I figure that means it's a front brake problem). I priced new drums, shoes, springs, pads, and rotors through a friend at a dealership and it's under $200 for everything, so I'll just get him to order it all in.

I'll check for a leaking axle seal or wheel cylinder when I pull off the old drums.

Thanks for the help!

GSGALLANT

Yeah, price seems ok on brake parts, so buy them up, but only replace them when they are due. Check them out, and if they don't need to be replaced yet, then hold off replacing until they need to be. Just my opinion.