Guerrilla Maintenance! Pics to
Jun 13, 2014 | 10:28 PM
#1
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Joined: Aug 2013
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From: Austin, TX
Guerrilla Maintenance! Pics to follow...
My brother and I were taking my son fishing today. He rolls in a pretty nice 86 4Runner, and maintains it properly. I drove out in my 89 pickup.
However, on our way out tonight, he runs out of brakes! He flags me down, and I see smoke coming from under his hood, and a fluid pooling up under the passenger side of his hood. I noticed that his throttle cable had somehow worn a hole in one of is break lines! Every time he pressed the brake, fluid would of course squirt all over his engine bay and smoke off his engine.
After several failed attempts to patch it with various things, duct tape, zip ties, etc... I remembered I had a MAP gas torch, flux, and solder from a totally separate project earlier in the week. We disconnected the break line to keep it from leaking continuously, and after a couple attempts we finally got the hole covered and the solder to stick properly, then blead the brakes, refilled the reservoir, then headed home!
Of course it was only a band-aid to get us home, and the first order of business tomorrow is to hit the parts store for a brake line to fix it for real. But the patch is currently holding, and held for about 15 miles of winding back roads.
Lessons learned here. It should be common sense, but carry all the basic tools. I'd say we were lucky we had all the tools we needed, but it was preparedness, not luck. Lesson number #2, don't give up until it's fixed. It's cheaper than a 4x4 tow. And, lesson #3, Think outside the box, you'll come up with a solution eventually. Don't just sit there and do nothing.
I'll post pics as soon as I'm on my computer. Or I'll get my brother to do it haha.
However, on our way out tonight, he runs out of brakes! He flags me down, and I see smoke coming from under his hood, and a fluid pooling up under the passenger side of his hood. I noticed that his throttle cable had somehow worn a hole in one of is break lines! Every time he pressed the brake, fluid would of course squirt all over his engine bay and smoke off his engine.
After several failed attempts to patch it with various things, duct tape, zip ties, etc... I remembered I had a MAP gas torch, flux, and solder from a totally separate project earlier in the week. We disconnected the break line to keep it from leaking continuously, and after a couple attempts we finally got the hole covered and the solder to stick properly, then blead the brakes, refilled the reservoir, then headed home!
Of course it was only a band-aid to get us home, and the first order of business tomorrow is to hit the parts store for a brake line to fix it for real. But the patch is currently holding, and held for about 15 miles of winding back roads.
Lessons learned here. It should be common sense, but carry all the basic tools. I'd say we were lucky we had all the tools we needed, but it was preparedness, not luck. Lesson number #2, don't give up until it's fixed. It's cheaper than a 4x4 tow. And, lesson #3, Think outside the box, you'll come up with a solution eventually. Don't just sit there and do nothing.
I'll post pics as soon as I'm on my computer. Or I'll get my brother to do it haha.
Last edited by AppalachianOffRoader; Jun 13, 2014 at 10:39 PM.
Jun 16, 2014 | 05:52 AM
#6
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Registered User
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 79
Likes: 1
From: Austin, TX
I'd never thought of that! That'd be a lot easier than soldering the line, but I didn't have anything we could have plugged it with. I guess I'll make a couple plugs and keep them on hand. Thanks! Great idea!
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