and one day I found 5 dollars.... Sorry guys I just couldnt resist. I thought it was funny.

 

Hmm.. Ok.

 

have you checked your axle seals? If its leaking the gear oil will contaminate the shoes and make it lock up. Just like your explanation says.

 

Never seen gear oil lock up a brake. Make it not work properly (not stop good) and smell bad when heated up, yeah... Lock up, no. We've had that happen on more than one occasion on my dad's '94 GMC 2500 farm truck that gets the CRAP kicked out of it.

 

Well i have seen it numerous times, on my own rigs and ones ive worked on, it may not have happened to you but it does happen. It is spurratic just as this fella says.

 

I'm just saying that I haven't seen it, not that you were wrong.

 

I know. bad thing about internet......No emotion. lol

 

So true and since you're the brake & frontend guy, I'd trust your diagnosis over mine. I'm only speaking from the 3 times we've had a wheel seal go bad on my dad's farm truck. I'm sure that you've seen many more than I have.

 

I ma thinking more along the lines of a sticking brake cylindar, or lasck of grease where the hard moveable parts meet the hard non-movable parts. But more like a sticky brake clyindar.

They are easy and cheap to replace. Its just that you have to do another brake job to get to it, then bleed the brakes when done. Which is a good thing. Soft brakes, could be old fluid that has cooked an released air into the line(s). A complete brake flush might fix both problems. Start at the passengers rear, drivers rear, passengers front, drivers front and bleed them in that order. Monitor the brake fluid level, never let it run empty. Also don't push the brakes hard if you leave the top off, it will shoot brake fluid all over the palce, and brake fluid don't play well with most things under the hood. Also don't push the brakes all the way to the floor, 3/4 of the way is far enough. If you get air in the master cyl, then your gonna have to bleed it. Personally I would let it gravity bleed. fill up the resivor with brake fluid and go get a beer or take a ****, what ever, leave it alone for a while.