Dragging rear drum

[73john]

I have an 04 Ranger with a severely dragging brake drum in the rear. The truck has 4 wheel ABS. I'm new to ABS. Can the ABS system malfunction such that the wheel cylinder is partially engaged? Don't want to pull the drum and find it is a completely different problem.

 

[flagport]

I wouldn't think it was as much an ABS problem, as maybe out of adjustment shoes on that side for some reason. Your truck is relatively new to have the same problem I had, but you never know. My dragging was caused by the adjustment mechanism and other parts having fell apart and rattling around and dragging on the drum. 3 or four chunks of unidentifiable metal (they'd been dragging a long time) fell out on the ground when I took the brake drum off.

See if you can get the drum off. That may require you to fiddle with the adjustment mechanism, and it's functionality (or not) will be a tell-tell sign of a potential problem. My 92 drum was pretty well sealed to the axel, so I heated the drum with a torch which popped it loose from the center disk, and came off easily.

Just my $.02, let's see what other come up with.

 

[73john]

The e-brake cable was seized on the left rear drum. It looks like a Ford only part.

 

[Yellowsplash]

You can get e-brake cables from advance auto.

 

[ranger_tomm]

You can get e-brake cables from advance auto.

Yes, I just had to replace mine and get the drums turned, since the rear brakes were stuck.