hi i have a 1995 2 door 4.3L 4wd blazer. When i hit the brakes even lightly the left rear wheel locks up. The ABS doesn't kit in at all. It doesn't fell like the brake is stuck becuase there is no drag when the brake aren't applied. When you do press the brakes the pedal has a lot heavier feel and the brakes grab harder and teh left rear tire locks up even when just tapped. any ideas on what is wrong.

 

Have you pulled them apart to check them yet? Check your front brakes as well. They do most of the work, so if they are bad maybe the rears are kicking in more. Give all your braking system a good inspection and let us know.

 

Well this morning i took a look at the brakes and the front seemed well. When i took apart the drum brakes in the back a shoe in the left drum had cracked so it take it that is the problem. Also, i wondering if i should just repalce the left brakes or should i also replace the right ones at the same time they seemed fine when i looked at them. And a friend of mine was wondering if he could upgrade his rear drum brakes to a disc brake setup up. HE was wondering if he would need to get a new rear end or if there are kits out there that can upgrade them like just the disc calpiers and brakets etc.

 

When you go to buy replacement shoes for the brakes you will get two sets in the box so you should always do brakes in pairs, safety first. It makes it less likely that something like this will happen again (pulling brakes).

Also if you want to replace rear drums with disc brakes do some research as to what years and models will work. There are two sets of rears that come with disks, the 4dr latemodels and the ZR2 2dr. There is a note though the ZR2 differential is wider, so you need to find out what model the vehicle is before taking parts from it.

 

Have the drums turned so they can be checked. Do both wheels and make darn sure to adjust them properly when you're almost done.

Rears disks involve a proportioning valve change also; that many forget to do. I would also double check the master cylinder. I believe you might have to change it also.

The wider rear can be compensated for through the use of different wheels with the correct backspacing to make up the difference. Have never done it on a blazer, but brackets and such, even if wrong, can be moved and welded up in correct locations. its all a matter of skill and/or expense.

oh yeah, the abs wont come on cause you're probably not going fast enough or not really locking them up hard enough. Assuming of course if it is working right?