Smythley

After reading through issues that guys have had with their trucks and brakes, I have self diagnosed what three things I think my truck has wrong.

I'll tell you the problem, let you know what I think, get you guys suggestions on where to start, and then get after it.


When I bought the truck, I was told it needed an emergency brake cable. No big deal, I live in the Delta, we don't have hills, I'll get by without one.

Pedal goes almost to the floor when I hit it onceand its very mushy, but front brakes will eventually grab, and sometimes lock. I can pump the pedal when coming to a stop sign, and the pedal goes up, and the brakes feel like they are supposed to, (maybe still a little mushy).

Ok, heres the three things I came up with...

Air in lines.

Rear brakes not grabbing, because out of adjustment because of lack of e-brake cable.

Master cylinder going bad.

abecedarian

Looks like a good place to start... all 3 things I mean. I'd check the rear adjustments first since that can lead to the 'pumping up' thing helping, then bleed and see how it goes. Save the MC for last.

peckinpah

Yeah, it could be air in the brake lines. I got air in my clutch fluid one time and had the same problem where I would have to "pump up" the pedal to get any pressure.

And brake lines are a lot more complex than clutch lines, so I would think there'd be a lot more places for air bubbles to get trapped.

I got a one man brake bleeding kit at Auto Zone for about 5 bucks, and a quart of brake fluid costs about 10 dollars. That's where i would start. Let us know what happens.

abecedarian

/me puts on psychic hat:
93 pickup, 4wd, 22re....

What do I win?

abecedarian

Awwwe.

Smythley

Yeah, I deserved that. Amazingly enough it is a 93 pick-up, 4WD, 22re.

I'm leaning toward rear shoe adjustment as well. After two pumps the pedal pretty much doesn't change. It takes several to really firm up at all...

I hope its not front bearings, although lately, (a week since I got it running) I hear an omnious squeak from the front left wheel area...and the hub is warmer than the left hub.

Smythley

My wife tells me the same thing. I get crankier with every birthday...

I had no idea that bad bearings would cause the brakes to act up. This is why I have fallen in love with YotaTech. I am not the most mechanically minded individual out there, and know next to nothing about mechanic type work, but am trying to learn. Gives a huge sense of satisfaction to fix something yourself. I may ask dumb questions, but I have been trying to wear out the search option on here.

Thanks for all the help you guys give me.

I'm afraid that the more I try to get the old Yota up and running, the more problems will rear their ugly head...and I'll keep coming back, asking dumb questions.


Is there a good test for wheel bearings...other than grabbing the wheel at a certain position and shaking it?
Really don't want to have to do bearings..haven't ever done them on anything bigger than a four-wheeler, but at least I can learn some stuff.

abecedarian

Jacking it up and rocking the wheel is the quickest and easiest test you can do. Even if it turns out the bearings are fine, if the wheel moves there is something else that needs repaired in the front end and you're better off finding out about it before it breaks.
Anyhow, wheel bearings are fairly easy... except for getting the pressed races in and out, but even that can be done with some improvisation if necessary.

But squealing up front, if you have the ADD system (you don't have to get out and lock hubs when you go to 4wd), could also be a dry CV joint so check the boot for cracks and look for heavy grease around the wheel area.

Smythley

I have manual hubs.

Was going to work on it this evening, but had a run in with a poacher in my back pasture this evening...

Thanks for all the input

Smythley

Thanks for the info guys.

I got up early and puttered around a little with the truck.

The cap on the brake fluid reservoir (master cylinder) is not a factory cap, and I can't tell if it makes an airtight seal. Any chance this may be a contributor to the problem? Also, where could one find a cap to fit it? I tried the local parts shops, but all they had were universal caps, not one specifically for my truck. Told me I had to get a whole new master.

Smythley

Update: jacked front up and tried to move tire laterally. Slight play in tie rod, but that's it. Tried to spin the tire, and it didn't move. Pulled tire and found pads dragging badly. Got back pad out but can't get front pad to budge. Feels like the lower cylinder is frozen. Put a couple c clamps on it and still nothing. Think I'm going to pull caliper and replace.

Smythley

Need some more help guys. One piston is pressing out and not returning. The other wheel up front is locked up to. Where should I go from here?

Smythley

What makes the pistons come back? Pressure from the system correct? When I pulled caliper off, I used a c clamp to press the one piston back in. It wouldn't move but then popped loudly and slid back in the caliper.

fork

sounds like the piston was stuck out. lucky you got yours to budge

the calipers on my 94 eventually got locked up, probably due to playing in brackish water. on one side, 3 of 4 pistons were seized and wouldn't budge with brutal clamping and air pressure. i got 2 new calipers from checkers for $100 + core (so $100 in the end) and now it stops perfectly. it might have been cheaper to rebuild the calipers if i could have somehow gotten the pistons out, but it was definitely easier to just replace the calipers. probably saved me half a day of work

Smythley

I have managed to confuse myself yet again. Would air in the brake lines cause the front brakes to drag OR would both front brake calipers decide to freeze up independantly?

I know that one of the pistons in the driver front caliper was pushed out when the brakes were applied, but wouldn't come back in. (until I removed the caliper and put a large C-clamp on it.) It fianlly gave a loud pop and slid back to its original position.

My question is...do I have two calipers that are shot and need replacement, or should I put the old calipers back on and try completely bleeding the system with new fluid...

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

are the calipers rusty at all? rust could lead them to stick around the same time.
Maybe take it to one of those chain brake shops, get the 'free guestimate' and go from there..

like fork said-probably replace both front calipers, inspect the rears and bleed them. 16 year old truck probably about time to do some maintenance.
bleed: Right rear, left rear, right front than the left front.