Brake question
Record Breaker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,140
Likes: 3
From: Fredericksburg, VA
I would suggest you quickly get a brake service done if you don't know how to do one yourself. Usually when the brakes/shoes go bad, you can hear squealing from the metal indicator. But bad pads wont cause you to press the pedal to the floor like that. Its usually a sign that something bigger is wrong.
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
From: MI USA
Are you losing fluid ?
If so, identify where you are losing it from, and replace the defective component.
If not, bleed, then rebleed, the whole brake system, including all 4 cylinders and master cylinder.
Check for leaks, inside of wheel hubs. Wheel cylinder most likely, could also be brake lines or master cylinder.
In necessary, have someone work the brakes while you are underneath with a flashlight, looking at all 4 wheel cylinders. Engine idling, in park, emergency brake engaged [for your safety].
Could also do it yourself, run the truck, pump the brakes a few times, shut it off and have a look, fresh leak should be obvious as a purple, hairy zit on a creamy white tit.
If any air has been induced into the system, you may just need to bleed your brakes ,, But air doesn't get into the braking system unless you are the victim of a faulty repair, or a part[s] is failing, or has failed.
If it is a cylinder, it may or may not leak enough to drip onto the ground, a brake line rupture will ,,, Master cylinder, obviously you'd have to pop the hood to see. In any case, as wjx says, get this fixed immediately, you could take out yourself or worse yet, take out a car full of kids or something.
If you must drive out for repair, creep along with emergency lights on, preferably with someone following you, also with emergency lights on.
If you can't do the repair, consider running a wanted ad on local craigslist, you'll likely get 10 replies in an hour from guys wanting to do it.
On top of the danger to yourself and others, the defective component will stress out the whole system, putting a work load on it that it was not designed for. This will, of course, increase the danger [of not being able to stop, no matter what you do], and increase the repair bill.
If so, identify where you are losing it from, and replace the defective component.
If not, bleed, then rebleed, the whole brake system, including all 4 cylinders and master cylinder.
Check for leaks, inside of wheel hubs. Wheel cylinder most likely, could also be brake lines or master cylinder.
In necessary, have someone work the brakes while you are underneath with a flashlight, looking at all 4 wheel cylinders. Engine idling, in park, emergency brake engaged [for your safety].
Could also do it yourself, run the truck, pump the brakes a few times, shut it off and have a look, fresh leak should be obvious as a purple, hairy zit on a creamy white tit.
If any air has been induced into the system, you may just need to bleed your brakes ,, But air doesn't get into the braking system unless you are the victim of a faulty repair, or a part[s] is failing, or has failed.
If it is a cylinder, it may or may not leak enough to drip onto the ground, a brake line rupture will ,,, Master cylinder, obviously you'd have to pop the hood to see. In any case, as wjx says, get this fixed immediately, you could take out yourself or worse yet, take out a car full of kids or something.
If you must drive out for repair, creep along with emergency lights on, preferably with someone following you, also with emergency lights on.
If you can't do the repair, consider running a wanted ad on local craigslist, you'll likely get 10 replies in an hour from guys wanting to do it.
On top of the danger to yourself and others, the defective component will stress out the whole system, putting a work load on it that it was not designed for. This will, of course, increase the danger [of not being able to stop, no matter what you do], and increase the repair bill.
Last edited by xray99; Jul 10, 2009 at 01:34 AM.