It's like the emergency brake is sticking...

[Vince Waldon]

... but it's not that.

Just picked up a 1998 B4000 4x4 manual. When you first start out after the truck has been sitting for a while the vehicle is tough to move...it feels like there's some internal friction or binding in the drivetrain etc, and as soon as you release the clutch it slows down very quickly... like the brakes are on... and will actually rock back a couple of inches once it comes to a stop

However, it doesnt appear to be the emergency brake... it does this regardless of if the emergency brake was on or off. *And*, it will start off perfectly smoothly in reverse... no extra friction at all. Stop and go to move forward in first...truck labours against some internal resistance.

As soon as I've driven a hundred feet all is well... truck runs and glides normally, with no feeling that the brakes are still on. And until it sits for a while the resistance doesn't come back. I can stop at a stop light etc and all is normal when I start out again.

Brakes are fine, tranny will shift properly thru 2WD, 4H, and 4L, and appears to have had a recent fluid refresh. I've done a couple of hard stops in reverse to set the brakes and have purposely not used the emergency brake for several days to convince myself that the brakes aren't simply binding.

Appreciate any thoughts anyone has??!!

thanks in advance,

Vince

 

[ZMan]

it is the emergency brake. E-brakes have a lot less resistance in reverse. Your cables are most likely old and rusted and sticking, and once you've started moving they free up enough for the truck to move freely, I'd say your best bet is to pop your drums off and do some inspecting. You can get new cables at autozone.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

it is the emergency brake. E-brakes have a lot less resistance in reverse. Your cables are most likely old and rusted and sticking, and once you've started moving they free up enough for the truck to move freely, I'd say your best bet is to pop your drums off and do some inspecting. You can get new cables at autozone.

x2
Richard

 

[Vince Waldon]

Thanks for your responses gents... yup I'll pull off the drums and look further.

The only thing that doesn't make sense to me is that I haven't touched the emergency brake in days... yet the pattern repeats itself every morning. I'd have thought that an e-brake problem won't repeat if you're not using the e-brakes... but I suppose just using the brakes during normal driving could snug them up?

 

[modelageek]

Thanks for your responses gents... yup I'll pull off the drums and look further.

The only thing that doesn't make sense to me is that I haven't touched the emergency brake in days... yet the pattern repeats itself every morning. I'd have thought that an e-brake problem won't repeat if you're not using the e-brakes... but I suppose just using the brakes during normal driving could snug them up?

LOOK at the cables themselves so if they are rubbing against each other

 

[martin]

When the drums get warm they expand a little. When you check the cables also check the lever that the cable connects to at one end and pivots on a pin on the rear shoe, they tend to rust to the shoe and cause your problem.

 

[Vince Waldon]

OK, thanks gents... it all makes sense. I'll do some inspecting and let y'all know what I find... thanks again for the help!

Vince

 

[Vince Waldon]

Just reporting back... yup, cable on driver's side seized. Given your hints the clue was to drive a block or two and then burn my finger on one drum while the other was cold to the touch. ;-)

Thanks again for the help... the "it works fine in reverse" had me confused... my Jettas have rear disks and I'm out of practice with drums!


Vince