Well, I replaced everything from the wheel cylinders out. My ebrakes are not grabbing now, and I have a leak in my back pass side wheel cylinder. The bleeder is shut and the line is threaded in tight.. I am rather ****ed, as I put new wheel cylinders on and I've leaked out 1/2 a master clyinder of brake fluid since last thursday come to fine out. When I adjusted the star bit to let the shoes back so I coould get the drums on, I opened the bleeder so the pressure would not bust the new wheel cylinders. Drivers is fine..... I had moderate drag on the drums. It was sorta hard to trun the axle with the drum on and no wheel, but with the wheel on, it was pretty easy. I gravity bled 24 oz of brake fluid through the back lines. It came out nice and clean. What the heck have I done? I'm getting pretty discouraged over here.

When I adjusted the star bit to let the shoes back so I could get the drums on, I opened the bleeder so the pressure would not bust the new wheel cylinders.

Man, that statement don't sound right to me. BUt if you mean you cracked the bleeder to push the cylinder "feet" back into the cylinder then ok. Did you retighten it?

I have a 96 Z71, K1500 and have changed the rear brakes a couple times, so I been there.

My ebrakes are not grabbing now
Either you assembled/reinstalled the rear shoes wrong or don't have them adjusted close enough.

The self-adjusting part of these brakes aren't like passenger cars, in fact they don't "self-adjust" at all like they are supposed to. I have to pull my drum every other tire rotation (~12000 miles) to adjust it up.

Oh, cheap wheel cylinders are just that, cheap. Worth the extra buck to go somehwere like NAPA, over Pep Boys. Now shoes & pads, cheap is ok, you just get to change 'em and clean brake dust more often.

Last go round I had on my rear brakes I replaced the wheel seals 3 times. Good luck.

Well, I replaced everything from the wheel cylinders out. My ebrakes are not grabbing now, and I have a leak in my back pass side wheel cylinder. The bleeder is shut and the line is threaded in tight.. I am rather ****ed, as I put new wheel cylinders on and I've leaked out 1/2 a master clyinder of brake fluid since last thursday come to fine out.
If the wheel cyl is leaking inside the drum its a defective W/C.If the leak is outside the drum where the line connects to the W/C you probably boogered up the threads,BUT it could still be a defective W/C.I once installed a defective W/C that didn't have a ferrule in the inlet for the line to seal to so it leaked even though I tightened the crap out of it.Also don't adjust the ebrake ( if you even have to) till the shoes are properly adjusted.

So, I think I fixed it. The back seal on the pass side was dripping a good amount of fluid when I had my dad hold in the pedal. I replaced the cylinder and my pressure is back up where it should be. I would like to bleed the front however since I have never done it. I can't get the bleeders open tho. Any suggestions?

If the front has not been opened you shouldn't have to bleed them.

If the fronts have been open or leak....
Soak the bleeders with PB Blaster. If you can't open them after that, soak the line fitting with PB Blaster. If you can't crack that, then just replace the caliper.

Some frown on this and some dont. But a little heat AROUND the bleeder screw if it wont come out will help loosen it up. I have never broken a bleeder screw on the newer 90's style gm truck even though they feel tight and never had to heat it up. I have one myself.

All of my brake hardware minus front pads had 116K on them. The rear is acting find now, it may have a little air in it that i still need to bleed.

yc,

If the truck has Antilock Brakes, make sure to find and read the proper procedure before bleeding, especially the fronts.

TY Bill. I was somewhat leary about that. Thanks for the heads up!