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3 wheel brakes?

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 6:33 pm
by JimmyC
I suspect one of my rear brakes is not working. I noticed my brakes are not too strong when backing down a hill. I adjusted them today and the left rear did not need adjusting. The others did. The cylinders are 4 or 5 years old. Maybe one has seized. I am trying to think through how to inspect it. I figure I can pull the drum and look, see if it locks up on a loose surface, and jack the wheel up and spin it and try braking.

Any suggestions?

Is there something that causes this other than a wheel cylinder?

Re: 3 wheel brakes?

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 7:10 pm
by rmel
I don't think it's unusual for reverse braking to be weaker than forward braking.
That's been my experience, and one reason why I hate backing up down grade.

If you have one bad rear brake have you sensed any fishtailing? After I do an
adjustment, I run the rig down a grade than apply some hard braking. The
front braking pulling is the most noticeable -- and can be a big pucker factor
on serious HWY grades. But if fronts don't pull you can also sense a fishtailing
if one rear is not working properly.

As an aside, when it does come time for an adjustment, at least for me, one
wheel in the zone and the other three needing a teak has been normal for me.