On my 94 1500 4x4, both the brake and abs lights are on. The brake lights flicker on and off when driving and the brakes sound like the rub the slightest bit when going over bumps. The brake lights also stay on after the truck is shut off and the only way to turn them off is to press the brake pedal a couple times. I have noticed the brake fluid is below min. Would that be the cause of all of the issues or is it something within the brakes?

 

Add some brake fluid to bring the level up to normal and walk around the truck to check for brake fluid leaks. The rear metal brake line that runs besides the fuel tank and the frame is notorious for leaking. On a '94 Ram (right at 29 years old), if the steel brake lines have never been changed, it would be a good idea to consider doing it. You can purchase pre-bent brake lines from several places or if you're handy and have the time, you can purchase a roll of steel brake line and cut/bend/double flare your own. Also, check your rubber brake lines for cracks/leaks.

 

The BRAKE light is telling you there's a problem with the brakes. Low fluid will set it off. Since you're getting a rubbing noise, the pads or shoes are probably worn down. That's where the fluid went. I'd pull the wheels and inspect the pads. I'll bet they are worn down to the wear indicators. I'd do that first as you'll have to press the pistons back into the calipers to replace them. No sense wasting brake fluid that you added when you have to remove it as you press the pads in.

 

I did have some brake work done front and rear recently, so i am unsure if it is worn down pads or shoes. There are no visible leaks from outside the drums or calipers, but i suspect that there is an internal leak. Is that more likely than jus low fluid?

 

Did you have new pads and shoes put on? The fluid should be full if you did. That's just part of the job. I'd pull the wheels one by one and inspect the brakes. Look for a scrape mark on the inside of the wheel because of a misaligned caliper. I'd also look inside the rear drum (it just slides off with the wheel removed) and make sure all the hardware is installed properly and something isn't laying inside the drum. If you press the pedal and hold it, does it want to sink to the floor? That would be an internal leak.

 

I have had the rear shoes done but i am not sure about the front pads. The pedal feels ok but it does feel like there is more travel than there should be, so my guess is pads and rotors. I just need to find time to take a good look at the front and rear.

 

The Mark 1 eyeball is always the best tool for initial diagnosis. I'm thinking you may find wear indicators touching in the front.

I have seen, with a heavy foot and "spirited" driving that the front pads will sometimes wear at an angle. This will cause a grinding on the inside of the wheel. However, my foot is a bit heavier than most peoples.

 

This ended up being the source of the loud noise in the front. The pads still had a bunch of life left and the indicator was bent back on the passenger but not the driver, so i fixed that.

I did check the rears also and the passenger rear had much more brake dust and was very dirty compared to the driver side. It was done before the driver side, though. Would it mean i need to rebuild the assembly?


(First is pass., second is driver)

 

is the short shoe on the passenger side mounted in the back? If so, that would explain the excessive dust.... The short one goes in front, because it is 'self-energizing'.... I.E. when you step on the brakes, the rotation of the drum tends to pull the shoe into it..... with the long shoe in front, your passenger side brake is going to be MUCH more effective (and touchy) than the drivers side.

 

Actually, the rear shoe does most of the work on stopping on self energizing and self adjusting brakes. Your brakes are a descendant of the Lockheed system. That's why primary and secondary shoes are either the same or the rear shoe (secondary) is longer. If one shoe is dirty and the other isn't, itusually means a sticky or frozen wheel cylinder. The dirty one is doing all the work. These also have a unique feel to the pedal. I'm not able to describe it but it's sort of you press really hard but don't get proper results. After 50+ years of all sorts of brake work, I can often tell by feel what's wrong.

If it was my vehicle, I'd check the wheel cylinders. They are fairly cheap to replace. A few specialty tools and it's a simple job to replace them.

The shoes inside the drum look good, to a point. The bevel on the shoe means there's plenty of meat on it. When the bevel is gone, the shoes need replacing.