2001 tacoma rear tire locks at low speed

When moving slow I lightly apply the brakes and the right rear tire locks and wont release unless I put it in reverse. The shop I took it to said its not the brakes. They think its something in the rear end. Any ideas?

 

Sticky Parking brake cable?

 

I looked at that and it seems to work properly. The shop did say that when the truck was in the air and he turned the tire and the opposite tire didn't turn the opposite direction. Would that mean anything?

 

Need more information on the truck.

 

Did they actually have the drum off to inspect? If holding one wheel and spinning the other does the driveshaft spin? Open diff or locker?

 

2001 Tacoma, TRD, 4" lift 32" tires, automatic. Anything else? Thanks

 

Yes, they took the drum off and inspected the brakes. They said they greased stuff and loosened the brakes. When my son drove it the brakes were so soft he could barely stop. So we took the truck back and they said they would tighten the brakes up. I don't know if the driveshaft spins while holding the other tire. I can check that when I get it back tomorrow. The shop thinks something is broken in the diff.

 

I had a problem with my truck as well. My truck was stuck after my truck sitting for hours on a cold day. Did they check you drum brakes? Because I had diff fluid leaking out, fixed that and it made the shoe really soft. Had that replaced and no more problems.

 

I cant visualize what would cause one tire to lock up in rear end. The axles only touch the outer spider gears. If something broke or seized the entire assembly would still spin.

 

I'm baffled too! So frustrating...

 

Ah perfect. Now we know the patient.
Best thing to do is get the rear end off the ground, pull the wheels off and start doing a thorough inspection of the drum brakes and unusual sounds coming from the rearend.

 

The shop did that and couldn't hear anything. I will get it back tomorrow and have to look into myself. They are dead set on something being broken in the axle. Seems strange to me.

 

I would question the shop. Applying the brakes does nothing to the internals of the rearead besides slowing and stopping the rotation. I suspect the brakes.

 

I suggest checking the brake proportioning valve. Mine looked great from the outside, but the arm was rusted through inside the rubber boot and completely disconnected. Only the boot was holding it in place. In this condition the valve was full open or whatever, made my rear brakes really touchy, i.e. locked up all the time. This didn't cause them to stick, but if the drums and pads etc look good, this is the next point in the rear brake system that could be fubared.

 

Sounds like a perfect candidate for used/worn brake pad return and hold down springs, or something hanging those up from doing there job. They might all be in place as per the mech's but one might be stretched and unnoticeable to the eye. I believe there are 6 brake pad rub pads on the backing plate itself and those need a thin swipe of white grease on them to allow the shoe to slide around easily during use and to be able to return to neutral freely by brake spring pressure. A nice straight backing plate needs to be there. One that has been backed into a log or whatever might be bent and cocked and in turn cocking the brakes to the plane of the drum. That one usually makes a bunch of racket and is easily found,, but don't count it out.

Moving forward slightly and getting a locking brake, usually means that one or both pads are self engaging, or getting drug against the drum harder, just by slight friction. It's usually the rear pad, just due to the rotation of the drum forward. You just might have some dirty,sticky brake pivot points and springs.

Doesn't read like a bad rear end so much,,more like a bad spring or springs. The E-brake setup has been mentioned. Check that it is working like it should front to back.

 

^^^ mm. Take drum off yourself and see for yourself

 

I had this problem and it was a leaky brake cylinder inside the drum. When the seals go bad they leak break fluid which causes the drums to seize up at low speeds. Take off your drum, replace your brake cylinder and spray everything down good with brakleen. You may have to sand the drum brake down a bit with some fine sandpaper if it's been leaking for a while and the oil seeped into the pads.

 

I had a similar issue (grabbing brakes) years ago, battled it for months. Thought at first it was sticking calipers, so I replaced those . What finally solved it was to replace the rear brake pads with OEM.

 

^to add to this. when you have the rear off the ground have your son put it in 2nd gear and let it spin up. then start slowly applying the brakes and see if the passenger rear "stops" before the driver side.

if it does take off the drum and look for any signs mentioned in above posts (you could also have him put it in neutral and see if you can turn the wheel by hand if it locks up) or even back off the adjuster a little

 

Yah, now that I posted all that the rear is gonna expire and pole vault the thing at speed.

lol.

It's a delicate issue,,brakes and rear gears. Sometimes hard to emphasis the reality of them always being safe and what could happen if not. Crap deadlocking at speed for a tire wasting buck wild ride,,or none of the above. Have been to both parties and only want to go back to one.

Nice work frizz and a hot point.