1995 Chevrolet Silverado, Diesel, won't move when you put in drive and press the accelerator

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

I have a 1995 Silverado Diesel 4X4 with 145K miles. I only drive about once a week to take trash to the dump. It’s been running great until yesterday. I put in drive and went to pull out of my drive way and truck won’t move. It makes a terrible sound in the rear of the truck but won’t budge. I have checked transmission fluid level and appears to be good. I say appears because my drive way is on a steep incline and it’s backed in, bed on the down side of hill. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks

2

Does the engine torque up and TRY to move the truck or does it rev like it was still in neutral? Perhaps your parking brake has rusted and will not release…Drum brakes can lock up solid if allowed to sit unused over a period of time, especially if they were applied when wet…

You can pop them loose sometimes by “rocking” the vehicle from drive to reverse a few times…

I assume it’s a 3/4 or 1-ton truck which means full-floating rear axle and large drum brakes, correct? If you can’t get them to “pop” loose, the brakes will have to be disassembled the hard way, with a cutting torch, the vehicle up on a frame lift…Good Luck…

3

Did you try to put it 4 wheel drive? My guess is the transfer case as gone bad or its not in engaged in a gear. Also it be the rear axle.

4

I was also thinking it has something to do with the rear, have you looked under the truck?? I wonder if your drive shaft dropped and you did not notice it (that would cause a terrible sound)

5

I have looked under truck and everything looks normal. This is on of the rare 1500 diesels. The rear brakes are very large drum brakes. It was raining last time it was driven and has rained quite a bit since so I hope it’s just a stuck brake. All ideas appreciated.

6

Sometimes whacking the backing plates with a heavy hammer will free up stuck brakes. Have someone apply and release the parking brake while you watch the cable underneath the truck. Is the cable moving where it goes into the armored cable guides where it goes into the backing plates? All that cable linkage needs to be moving freely in order for the brakes to release…