Drivers side rear locks up really easily when I hit the brakes.

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trapster

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For all intensive purposes I have a brake system out of a 71-73 Dart, even though it is a 64.
Small pattern rims, dual master, single piston caliper disks in front, 10" drums rear. everything replaced new about 500 miles ago. Except rear drums, and proportioning valve. Was working beautifully, then I checked the fluid level and topped it off. It was about half full maybe a little more.

Now when I hit the brakes the drivers side rear locks up. The car seems to stop ok but I can't drive it like this. It really freaks people out when I come up behind them, not to mention passengers in my car.

Is this an adjustment or did I get some crap in the proportioning valve or master?
 
Sounds like either brake fluid or axle grease on the brakes on that side. Any type of fluid will cause it.
 
As above, likely a leaking wheel cylinder or axle seal has contaminated the brake pads. They become very grabby when soaked in oil. An oversized brake drum coupled with worn pads will also do the same.
 
Grabby for me was always a little leakage past the axle seals in an 8 3/4 .
But it's fun to have one rear wheel lock up and freak nearby drivers out.
Last time I had that situation going on I used it to tease people who pulled out in front of me, or whatever.... Perfectly safe, but sounds like you're going to hit them.
Fun until the snow flies.
No fun if the fronts do that.
They say ya can't wash the sticky grease off the brake shoes, but ya can.
May need to do a rear brake light drag/burn run to get the shoes clean again.
 
Check the opposite side to see if it works,and also the fronts.
If the fronts are not working properly, it will require a lot more pedal pressure to stop the car with the rear brakes.If only one back there is working, then the tire gives up and skids.
and Ima thinking the P-valve is defective.If that valve is working right, the rear line pressure will be reduced to about 75% of the fronts. But this does not translate to the rears doing 75% of the work. Typically the rear brakes do 15% to 25% of the work on a DB equipped vehicle. So If you can skid a rear tire, you would need to be applying a LOT of line pressure. And if you are pushing that hard and NOT skidding the fronts, I would be looking to a problem in the fronts, and or a defective Pvalve.
That's in addition to the left/right imbalance,at the back.
 
In my broke-azz days I learned to recover contaminated linings by soakng them in Varsol,and then cooking the oil out of them in an oven .......................when the wify was not home.
Actually I cooked them in the shop, but it was funnier to say the wify bit . It sometimes took two or three solvent soakings. Brake pads can be cooked with a torch. But I recommend to only cook riveted pads. Too much heat seems to affect the glue in the bonded linings, which, of course, you don't find out until a few stops after they have been re-installed, or like a week later, when it lets go, and jams up the works.I think front pads have better glue,cuz I never over cooked a pad,heehee
 
Did you check the adjustment is correct.
Maybe back that one off a bit and re test the brakes.
If it was all replaced recently except the drums, I'd check to see if they are not warped or out of round.
 
Brake fluid loss isn't normal. The grabbing shoes suggest where the fluid went.
 
Eventually, you will find where the fluid is going, but you don't want it getting slung onto the paint since DOT 3 & 4 is great paint remover. If using DOT 5 (silicone), the high cost will motivate you to find the leak. But, most likely it is leaking onto that rear shoe, as mentioned 10 times. My 1982 Chevy S-10 did that when only 4 yrs old. I found one rear locking up and dragging at a stop sign. Pulled the drum and found the shoe soaked in brake fluid and the wheel cylinder rusty inside. I had never opened the MC reservoir. I imagined lackadaisical union workers at the GM plant let water drip into an open 50 gal drum of brake fluid, or perhaps poured their cokes in there. Now they wonder why their jobs went to Mexico.
 
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