Im an XJ guy with 2 of them parked at my house now. However I have also aquired a 55 ****** truck thats in very good shape. However we noticed the rear brakes are sticking. Pulled the drums and the pads were shot, so I ordered new shoes and new return springs. Well I put the new parts on and when i test them out I find that the wheel cylinders will push the shoes apart like they are supposed to. However they wont release on there own. If I turn the bleeder valve and push the shoes together they will compress as fluid squirts from the bleeder. My question is, do I have bad wheel cylinders, because both rear do this. Or do I have bad brake lines, or does this sound like a master cylinder problem. Im a disc brake guy and rarely mess with drum so any help would be great.

 

I doubt both are bad and they really cant fail and hold hyd pressure, I would loosen the brake lines and see if they bleed off and release the wheel cylinders just like you did with the bleeders. Then work your way up to the master cylinder, the rear brakes share a common line from the rear axle forward. I would check the rubber lines real good. If you get all the way up to the master cylinder then replace the master cylinder.

The master cylinder only has one port I think so it should make all the brakes hang. If its been converted to a dual port then it could just be hanging the rears.

 

Hey man thanks. It took a while to get back to it cause I have two xjs im working on and a John Deere at the same time. Anyway the rubber line that connects from the frame rail to the shared metal connection on the rear axle was totally stopped up. Had a local hose shop make a new one and 18 bucks later shes perfect.

 

pictures of it!?