Why are my rear brakes so "grabby" and locking up?
 

Lately, when I'm coming to stop, my rear brakes will GRAB and lock the back tires and I'll start skidding. I know these are supposed to be self-adjusting, and I've tried backing up and hitting the brakes to get them to adjust. But it keeps randomly doing it. What should I be looking at to fix or lube? The starwheel?

take the drums off and adjust them yourself

Did I mention I hate drum brakes? :D I don't have to take them apart do I? Just like move the starwheel or what?

wheel cylinder or axle seal
 

You either have a rear brake cylinder leaking and putting brake fluid on the shoes, or worse yet, an axle seal leaking gear lube on the shoes. Brake shoes don't like liquid. Check both sides. My advise is to replace them in pairs. Might as well put brake shoes on and clean or turn the drums while your at it. Pull the drums and take a look.

I have the same issue on one side, will take the thing apart this weekend.. let's hope it's the cylinder seal and not the axle...

with the rear jacked uptry and spin the wheel, there should be slight tension, but not much. if there is too much just take the drum off and back the adjuster off a tad (use a scre dirver or break spoon if you have one and turn the little toothed wheel)and try it out.

TIM--
Like others have mentioned, see if it's on both sides or just one side.

I had the same thing happening after my truck was repaired from being side-impacted in 1994. The rear axle seal on one side was leaking from where the left axle was replaced. The drum was being lubed, causing the other side to lock up due to imbalanced braking force.

Leaking brake fluid could have the same effect.

Good luck!
:bowtie:

I agree with lolife99, I had a similar problem and found it was a rear seal leaking and soaking my shoes.

Is this occuring during normal stops, or during a panic stop? If it happens during normal stops the answer has already been mentioned, but if it happens during a hard stop the proportioning valve is going south.

Re: wheel cylinder or axle seal
 

I had the same problem.

Replaced the axle seals and brake cylinders (both were leaking :eek) and it's perfect now.

Another vote here for leaky axle seals or wheel cylinders - quite common in my experience.

Simple fix in either case. Axle seals take a little more time (OK, quite a bit more :D ), but still fairly simple. One good thing about axle seals - they are cheaper to replace than the cylinders, assuming you supply the labour.

:canada: :bowtie: :flag:

i have this happen but very rarely, usually during cold mornings when pavement is wet. i think i just need to adjust or bleed the brakes.