Air pack locked up.

[Clay James]

I'm travelling up to Fordyce lake for camping. The air pack on the 109 is locking up and now I'm stuck at a freeway offramp. I'm at the offramp for secret town road off I80 just past colfax. Is there any ss members in this area that can help? Gotta get a new air pack to get mobile.

 

[Fredo Corleone]

Bleed off some pressure to get it moving again.

 

[peashooter]

Bump for Clay. You are positive the airpack itself is the problem then right? Do you have tools and dot 5 with you if someone can get you an airpack?

 

[Clay James]

I got the really hard pedal and the brakes were dragging. I cracked the glad hand and air was rushing out. Now that it's cooled down it seems to be fine. Could the pads be adjusted too close and they get too hot and cause it to do this? Acts like air pack though.

 

[Clay James]

The front right was smoking and the others were warm

 

[ralph3162]

You can loosen the air line going into the air pack a little bit so it leaks then you can drive it. If loose it will bleed off enough pressure to release brakes when you let off the pedal. The compressor will be able to keep up if only loosened should at least get you to safe harbor.

 

[Clay James]

Turns out the front right was dragging. Got it sorted out and everything seems okay now. Heading on the road again.

 

[marchplumber]

Thanks for the update. Let us know that all is well when ya arrive! Gotta LOVE the help given here on S.S.~~~

God bless,
Tony

 

[Tow4]

If the brake pedal is hard, make sure you have enough clearance in the pedal adjustment for the master cylinder. If the pedal is set too tight it will cause the brakes to drag or lock up.

 

[peashooter]

Glad you are mobile again. Clay, I know you switched to the larger 1.5" wheel cylinders on the front which I did also. In my case I wasn't even able to get the drums back on the front hubs until I cut the slots in the brake shoe link pins deeper. Prior to that no amount of major or minor shoe adjustment would allow the drum to fit. Might be worth checking sometime when you can.
On your old thread are some pics showing the difference with the stock 1.375" wheel cylinders compared to the larger 1.5" ones: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?117663-Wheel-Cylinders&p=1538220&viewfull=1#post1538220

 

[Clay James]

Made it to my destination and back home again. Something is still funny with the brakes.

 

[Clay James]

Glad you are mobile again. Clay, I know you switched to the larger 1.5" wheel cylinders on the front which I did also. In my case I wasn't even able to get the drums back on the front hubs until I cut the slots in the brake shoe link pins deeper. Prior to that no amount of major or minor shoe adjustment would allow the drum to fit. Might be worth checking sometime when you can.
On your old thread are some pics showing the difference with the stock 1.375" wheel cylinders compared to the larger 1.5" ones: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?117663-Wheel-Cylinders&p=1538220&viewfull=1#post1538220

That might have something to do with it. I was able to get all mine on and adjusted properly, or so I thought. Everything is fine until I get on the road for a while and they get hot and the brakes start sticking. When I stopped the front right was smoking like crazy and the paint on the drum peeled off. Surprisingly the pads and drum looked fine with I took it apart. It will make the brake lights stay on and when I crack the drivers side glad hand air will rush out. After it sits for a while and cools down it starts working properly again. Maybe the wheel cylinders don't have enough travel right now with the pins like that? I'll have to tear into it which means all the wheels and drums have to come off again...

 

[Adrian A]

There may be a clogged orifice in the pressure return in the master cylinder. It is a tiny little hole in the bottom of the resevoir. This caused mine to lock up and overheat. There are two holes in the bottom of the resevoir. When I looked at mine first I could only see one. I am positive this is your problem. It can be fixed easily on the road with no no parts if you are careful. It will need to be disassembled and cleaned.

 

[aboonski]

I ran a purge line from the plug at the back of the air pack to the steering column with a valve that I open while driving and close when I need to brake. It works! You can hear air escaping constantly while driving indicating brakes will lock if not purged. This is a good way to "cheat" if you are on the road and cannot repair the problem at that time.

 

[Adrian A]

Did you ever remedy your problem?

 

[Clay James]

Yup. Turns out it was like the problem peashooter had. The stock wheel cylinder pins were too long with the new larger wheel cylinders. I was able to get the drums on and the pads adjusted when I initially installed them. In service it appears they would drag slightly and then over time would get hotter and build up pressure in the system. That's why it worked fine again when it cooled down. Last weekend I took one set out and cut them each 1/8" deeper and everything adjusted properly. Time to do all the rest.

 

[Adrian A]

Interesting.

 

[peashooter]

Last weekend I took one set out and cut them each 1/8" deeper and everything adjusted properly. Time to do all the rest.

You just put these 1.5" wheel cylinders on the front axle right? Or did you also put some on the rear?

 

[Clay James]

I put them all around.

 

[peashooter]

I put them all around.

Wow, that must stop pretty good then!