:confused: Brakes Locked Up!

[Stricklinator]

I was on the way back from the dump with my son and I noticed the brake pedal was hard all of a sudden. The brakes seemed to be on with no help from me! About a block later I had to stop when I saw smoke coming from the rear brakes. So now my 1969 C/20 is a few blocks away stuck and I had to walk home. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

[cdowns]

emergency brake is on

[1970 Bowtie]

x2,did you set the e-brake at the dump,released them and they stuck.Tends to happen with old cables.

[68gmsee]

Happened to me many years ago. Probably a collapsed rubber brake hose on the rear passenger side of the axle. Allows the fluid to be forced to the brakes but not enough spring tension to return it to the master cylinder. Common problem on these old trucks.

I'd replace all three of them. The two in the front and the rear one.

[Stricklinator]

The e-brake pedal isn't on and it barely worked anyway; could that still be it or is it more likely brake lines? I had to replace the left rear line when I got it as it was rusted through. Maybe I should do them all? Ive got to figure out a way to get it home first though! Thanks for the help so far!

[68gmsee]

It's the rubber hoses that go bad. You can't see it from the outside but the inside swells up to the point where fluid is restricted and not able to return.

Best way to check is to loosen the brake bleed valve on the side that's stuck and see if it unsticks it. If it does then you have a restriction and more than likely it's those rubber hoses.

[mr48chev]

If you release the pressure and that works go light on the brakes until you get it home and get it fixed.

Just drive it like you don't have any brakes at all and give your self enough room to slow way down at lights and make gentle stops when you need to. But keep the bleeders closed after you release the pressure even if you have to do it again a couple of times.

[cstm68]

if you drive it with the bleeder open you will not have any petal loose all your fluid and stroke the master and fill the system with air

[Stricklinator]

I got it home in one piece- the brakes weren't locked up anymore. I will replace all of the rubber lines and go from there. Thanks again for the help. This forum is awesome!
Paul
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[cdowns]

you should change those rear shoes,pay special attention to the drums as overheated they tend to get warped and also with the heat treatment they glaze over and the result is poorer brake performance