So I took my 95 4x4 into the emissions shop and it failed. Failed because the rear brakes don't work. She could not stop the rollers. So, yeah I had no idea.

I vacuum bleed the brakes about 3000 miles ago and not sure WTF. Any ideas? Could it be the master cylinder?Proportioning valve?

It has the drums in the back.

Thanks

James

 

First thing I would do is jack up the back and put it on stands. Start the engine, put it in "D" and let the wheels spin. Then hit the brakes and see if both rear wheels stop. If they do, everything is working, it's just a matter of adjusting.
Start with loosening the park brake cable so there's no tension.
Then adjust one rear brake so that the drum has slight resistance when you slide it on, then the other side.
Put the wheels back on and repeat the wheel spin and brake application.
If the brakes stop the wheels and the pedal is higher than before you can now adjust the park brake cable.
Leave the shifter in "N", apply the park brake 4 clicks and tighten the cable till you can't turn the wheels by hand. Then let the park brake off and try spinning the wheels by hand, they should turn.

Try this and let us know what you find. There are other possible problems, but we need a starting point.

 

Wait you can adjust the rear brakes? I had no idea...how do you adjust them? I need to search don't I? I would have thought they had self adjusting drums?

James

 

Here's what the adjuster wheel looks like.

[IMG]local://upfiles/2910/9B765BB4A10949DB8BB5B5FB8F727D1F.gif[/IMG]

 

Ok, so I dug into the problem a little bit. Did what you suggested and jacked the car up and the rear brake held one wheel while the other spun.

Then I had my friend pump the brake several times and hold it. Then I cracked the bleeder screw on the wheel cylinder and fluid spurted out. So, its getting fluid.

Then I pulled the drum off one side and had my friend apply the brakes. Only one of the pistons came out of the wheel cylinder. And hardly any at that. So, I am guessing the wheel cylinders are shot. I just picked up two of them and will put those in and bleed it. See if that fixed it.

I am guessing this is the problem! At least I hope.

James

 

That sounds like it could be the problem. Let us know if that fixes it.

 

I have the same problem with my 96. The only difference is that my rear brake line blew out and I replaced it but I cant get the rear to activate again. Cracked all the bleeders and they are all getting fluid but still no rear brakes and the brake light is on. Bad valve maybe not sure. Is there a certain way to bleed the brakes I have heard to crack the rear bleeder and emergency stomp on the brake and the valve might switch over. Any ideas?

 

If your rear brakes are not working, crack one of the FRONT bleeders, and stomp on the pedal. See what happens.

 

I believe that your problem is a little different than wankel7 problem, he has one rear working and probably a bad wheel cylinder on the other.
If you have no pressure to the rear brakes and your brake light is on then you have probably off set the proportioning valve when the brake line broke.
The idea of the proportioning valve is that if you lose a rear brake line, the valve will move to shut off the pressure to the rear and you will still have front brakes.
As HeyYou has said, open a front bleeder and push the pedal to the floor. You may feel a little resistance and then free movement of the pedal as the proportioning valve re-sets. Then try bleeding the brakes again on the rear.

 

Thanks I will try that this weekend.