Brake Problem in REVERSE ONLY

[carlynsw]

1992 Dodge Stealth ES, manual tran, 226,000 miles. When I step on the brake in reverse I get a horrid grinding sound (sounds like it's from the rear but can't be sure) and it feels like the wheels lock up (??front passenger??). If I try to continue in reverse I can't until I drive forward a bit (which seems to unlock the wheels) and then I can continue in reverse. I don't have any problems with the brakes when I stop going forward. I thought the pads were worn (had that metal-to-metal sound) so I changed the pads. The old pads were not worn but put the new ones on anyway. This didn't make one bit of difference. Luckily, I have a manual tran so I'm doing the backup and get in 1st gear quick so I don't have to step on the brakes. Don't get the grinding sound but I'm sure it's not healthy for my clutch. Any suggestions, ideas, comments, intuitions, insights, etc. would be greatly appreciated. This one is driving me crazy!!

[3kvr4]

Im not familier with the stealth ES but im guessing it has drum brakes in the back. If it does have drum brakes, I have a good felling it is the primary shoe that is bad. Change the shoes from both sides and this should help you out if it is indeed the shoes that are bad. also turn the drum.

[Linebckr49]

i'm pretty sure all 3S's have disc brakes on all four wheels.

your problem sounds quite peculiar. with that many miles on your car, what maintenance has been performed?

i would jack the car up on 4 jack stands, remove all the wheels, apply the brakes (w/engine off, to be safe) and check for brake pad clearance. perhaps the wheel that you feel is locking up might be a caliper piston sticking. but i don't know how going forward/reverse would have any sway on this.

also, it would be a good idea to bleed your entire brake system and add new fluid.

[2old]

A couple things:

I assume when you said you brake while reversing you were in gear with the clutch depressed? Does the pulsing come from the brake petal? If so it's the ABS... There is a 70% brake bias in to the front brakes so when you are backing up the front tires engage the ABS pretty easily.

Also when you reversing, stopped and you can't get shift it back into reverse: Try putting the transmission into neutral and let go of the clutch, depress the clutch again and then shift into reverse.

What could be happening is that the "layshaft" could have stopped rotating so that the collar teeth cannot line up with the gear to allow you to shift into gear.

Lemme know if that seems to decribe your problems...

[Linebckr49]

i was wondering about the brake bias. glad you mentioned that, 2old. is there a brake bias only with ABS models? any bias with base models that don't have ABS?

[2old]

Originally Posted by Linebckr49

i was wondering about the brake bias. glad you mentioned that, 2old. is there a brake bias only with ABS models? any bias with base models that don't have ABS?

The brake bias should be roughly the same for models with similar brakes...

I know it's roughly 70%-80% towards the front on FWD cars. I would think that the front bias would not be so heavy AWD cars but it usually only varies by about 10% from car to car (unless braking is dynamically controlled by a computer).

On our cars it's a really rough number because they did not put in a left-right proportioning valve so left side has a heavier bias then the right side as well... So don't quote me on the number.

Edit: I just check stealth316 and it actually calculates the brake bias and strangely my guess is about right (71.5% vs my guess at 70%)

[Polygon]

Take off your wheels and check all of your caliper bolts. It sounds like the top bolt that holds the caliper on has come out of one of the calipers and when you push the brakes it forces the caliper into the wheel.

[AutostradaVR4]

[Stealthee]

It could be something as simple as the ebrake shoes getting stuck.