cr@ves4wheelin

So I just did my rear axle seals and got the bearing replaced, unfortunately when I got my axle back from the shop they took off the drum brake pads and everything.

So after I finally put everything back together, I instructed my friend on how to help me bleed the brakes. I just did the rear driver side since that's the only side I did. Afterwards I got in and slowly applied pressure to the brakes since I put the old brake pads back in. I even pulled the e-brake a couple times and asked my friend if he saw the adjuster move. He did.

Here's the problem, I turn on my truck and apply the brakes and the pedal goes straight to the floor. After I hit the brake pedal again, then I get pressure. If I quit for a while, and hit the brakes, the pedal goes to the floor again.

I bled the other side of the rear, and still no luck.

Keep in mind, I kept the brake line capped all night since I didn't get my axle back the next day.

Should I bleed the front brakes too? Could a damaged wheel cylinder when putting the drum brake back together cause this? So far there is no leaks and the brake light doesn't come on to indicate that there is.

HiredMind

I'm by no means a master mechanic, but I've always read that any time your brake system is open for any reason, and for any length of time, you must bleed all 4 wheels. I think until you're sure that all air is out of the system, you really don't know if it's just air in the lines or something more serious.

Also - be sure to keep the master cylinder from going empty while you're bleeding the lines - if it does, it will just push more air into the lines.

cr@ves4wheelin

Yeah, I'm just gonna bleed the front tomorrow and see if that fixes it. I can't remember if I bled all four when I did my differential swap, it's been a while and I have a bad memory.

Anyways, since I couldn't bleed the front since it's dark, I thought I'd ask just in case it doesn't work still. I didn't get my axle back til 3pm and I had to put the drum brake back together since the shop guys tore it apart.

Thanks

cr@ves4wheelin

Fixed it. What happened was, when I put the drum brakes back together. I didn't adjust the star adjuster back to the way it was. Me not knowing much about drum brakes, I thought the e-brake automatically adjusted the start adjuster hahaha.

Anyways I bled the front brakes too, just to make sure. There was little-to-no air though.

peckinpah

If the problem comes back, try bleeding the Load Sensing Proportioning Valve, which is located above the rear axle on the passenger side. My brakes were going to the floor after I did my rear brakes, until I bled the LSPV. I had no idea the thing even existed, and thought bleeding all 4 wheels was enough. In my case, it wasn't.

sidebarr7

Alway bleed the Load Sensing Proportioning Valve after bleeding all wheels.