Help! Rotors or Pads?

[HndMeDnBroncoII]

in the shop ihave seen guys use line locks when changing calipers(they squeeze the hose so fluid doesnt go everywhere)if line is pinched tthe pedal will feel solid and no braking power for that wheel.

brakes are so important if you have pull when braking it is most likely caliper related
and replace both at the same time
the rears have a star wheel adjuster inside
in most drum brake setups those adjusters are supposed to adjust automatically but they quite often dont.there is several different styles to adjust them (personal preferences)but yes use your e brake frequently , if the rears were adjucsted properly the e brake would have have been set to match so when your e brake travels close to the floor theshoes are wearing down or need another adjustment.
i do the rears in my bII every three months
the rears dont do alot of the braking but they take a big part of the work load from the fronts thusly increasing front brake life
hope this helps sorry bout the bad grammar

 

[kkjb4x4.0]

I agree,check your calipers. I would also check the rear brakes as well to make sure they are adjusted as well. Also check your tire pressure, a low tire can really make it pull.I think I also read on here somewhere that loose front wheel bearing can cause the caliper on that side to respond more slowly then the caliper on the opposite side causing a pull situation.

 

[thegoat4]

3 of 7 is correct. But sometimes the adjusters will stick on one side.

There is a small oval-shaped plug on the backing plate of your rear brakes. Pop that plug out and there is a toothed wheel inside. You can use a flat brake screwdriver to turn it. One way is easier than the other. The easy way is tightening, the hard way loosens.

Chock your front wheels and jack up one rear wheel. With your parking brake released and the truck out of gear, rotate that wheel while you tighten the adjuster. Once it drags hard, stop and back out the adjuster until it stops dragging. Dragging is when you feel resistance, a noise is not dragging. Pay attention to how many clicks you went backing off. Repeat for the other side. If you had to adjust far more to get the same drag or the number of clicks when backing off was way different, you have a brake problem and you need to pull the drums off to look.

 

[MAKG]

With only one screwdriver you should NOT be able to loosen the brakes. If you can, take the drums off and see whether you need an adjuster or a lever or both, because SOMETHING is so worn out as to be nonfunctional.

Loosening the brakes should require pushing the adjuster lever out of the way with one screwdriver, and rotating the adjuster backwards with the other, simultaneously.

WARNING: Remove one side at a time. The adjusters are inequivalent, and if you get them mixed up, the brakes will automatically loosen for you.

 

[Jon Boy]

or you could try driving a few times in rev. for a about 10-20ft. with a little speed and hit the brakes. that's how everone and myself around here readjust the rears after replacing them.

 

[Mutant Pony]

Here is a little thing nobody else adressed. If you are not a proffesional mechanic it is easy to overlook things wrong with your brakes. It is common for people to put the calipers back on with the line twisted. I see it all the time. When you put the caliper back on, make sure the hose has a smooth curve to it and not an "s" shape. The twisted hose will cause all sorts of weird problems. Sometimes they will work fine other times not.