Assistance wanted diagnosing Deuce brake issue (s)

[USAMP1980]

During a long/painful divorce, my M35A2 laid motionless for a year.
It actually started right up on straight motor oil.
Here's the issue:

The brakes were found with no resistance in the pedal. Water had accumulated in the tanks. I drained all tanks, closed, rebuilt operating pressure, reblew out tanks.
Visible water is no longer coming out of the tanks. Brake resistance is back halfway but too nervous to drive it.

I have the TM diagram(s). I am hoping someone which has experience suggest a starting point.

Could it be water left in the lines? Mastercylinder? Air Hydralic Unit?

Educated guesses highly appreciated.

 

[Hitman]

did you put in Dot 3? or is Dot 5 still in?

 

[swbradley1]

Fixed your title as we reserve help for roadside or emergency situations.

Also, why do we need a poll for a simple request on a brake problem?

 

[Keith_J]

Seen this before, several times. Same problem, the master cylinder developed a partial vacuum, causing the wheel cylinder rubber sealing cups (the inner parts, not boots) to spring inward. With minimal brake fluid volume pumped by the master cylinder, full pressure cannot be achieved because 6 wheel cylinders take a good bit of volume.

First, make sure brakes are properly adjusted top and bottom. If the problem persists, take the poppet valve off the top of the master cylinder cap and install an air fitting, then pressurize it with 10 to 15 PSI. With this pressure, try the brake pedal. If this corrects the problem but it returns when pressure is relieved, you should rebuild the wheel cylinders, replacing the rubber cups and boots with new expander spring. Oh yes, NAPA UP45 is the part number IIRC. $8-10, depending on franchise.

Yes, you could get imported new wheel cylinders but who knows where the rubber was made AND you probably will get metric bleeder screws. For the cost of 6 kits, you can easily afford the wheel cylinder hone and still be ahead. Takes 30 seconds of work to overhaul wheel cylinders, unless you make over $2500 an hour, you are STILL ahead.

 

[hndrsonj]

Look at the inside of each wheel where it's sitting. I am betting a wheel cylinder leaked.

 

[porkysplace]

Time for a complete wheels and drums off brake inspection.

 

[Bob H]

Keith hit it on the head in his second sentence.
porkysplace is also quite correct.

 

[USAMP1980]

Fixed your title as we reserve help for roadside or emergency situations.

Also, why do we need a poll for a simple request on a brake problem?

If a moderator is gonna give me crap for a poll, perhaps this isn't a forum for me. I did it because I felt like.

 

[USAMP1980]

Thank you Keith, and everyone else for your input. I'll let you all know what it ends up being. Probably won't get to it until Monday afternoon. Darn Spring.

 

[Keith_J]

Really? Take a trip to the local hardware store and get an air pressure regulator. Plus fittings to plumb it to a 1/8 NPT female. Pressurize it to 10 to 15 PSI, no more and see if the pedal feels firm.

Note, this also works on brakes in need of adjustment although only for emergency purposes. And you should only run enough air pressure over the fluid to effect a firm pedal, any more and you risk burning the brakes.

 

[Flyingvan911]

All of the above. It is likely simple but it's better to be thorough. The brakes are just too important to the safety of everyone in and around the moving truck.

 

[KsM715]

If a moderator is gonna give me crap for a poll, perhaps this isn't a forum for me. I did it because I felt like.

If your going to get upset at something as simple as that then yes, this probably isn't the forum for you.

Polls are for " what would you do?" "What paint scheme do you like?" Stuff like that. That's all the mod is saying.

but........... I do really hate the whole " help is reserved for true emergencies." Everyone knows the saying "just ask for help if you need it". If I need help moving a piece of furniture in my house I simply ask my wife "can you help me" or " hey, I need a little help". I don't scream out "HELP ME" and she knows it's not an emergency and I don get chastised for asking. If we are really concerned with people asking for help for non emergencies and getting confused with people broke down on the side of the road then why don't we have a separate forum for "road side emergencies/breakdowns"

I think we are all smart enough that we can decipher the level of required help when we click on a thread titled "help, I'm stuck". If I click on it and someone is tuck in the mud near by I'll see what I can do. If it turns out someone is stuck diagnosing a " lights don't work and I can't figure it out" then again I'll see what I can help with, if I can't help I move on.

I don't know about the rest of the members but rarely does my heart get racing and get a big adrenaline dump when I log on and read "Help" thinking someone might be in mortal danger but still has the means to log on and start a thread about it.

 

[DanDan]

Actually an "urgent" or "help" section is a great idea. For issues that need immediate attention of for vehicles that are stuck in precarious locations? Ya.

 

[doghead]

Aren't we all here for help when we post? Almost no need to ever actually say it, inho.

Explain your needs and someone will "help".

We do it because it is how we've managed a great website for some time now. If a new guy is gonna give us crap for that, well he is not gonna do it for long. May get banned(cause I feel like it).

 

[DanDan]

Good point. I'm received tons of help from members!

 

[Keith_J]

Any vehicle can be overwhelming for a new owner. That the FAQ doesn't work only increases confusion. And many do not know pressure bleeding is a handy tool, both for removing air and diagnosing problems.

I like it so much I bought a Motive brand universal bleeder which I use on every vehicle in my fleet. And I only have one FMV (see sig). ABS on new cars is worth biannual replacement of brake fluid, getting air into those systems can be a nightmare to resolve. A pressure bleeder makes it a 30 minute job.

My suggestion of pressurizing the master cylinder with 10-15 PSI of air is a cheap and simple way of pressure bleeding and will probably diagnose the problem posted in this thread. Agreed he didn't need to start a poll, diagnosis is scientific, polls are subjective.

 

[swbradley1]

If a moderator is gonna give me crap for a poll, perhaps this isn't a forum for me. I did it because I felt like.

I guess you can ask a question but no one can ask one of you? I didn't give you crap about it or anything else for that matter I simply asked why do we need poll for a brake problem.

Ever since I have been on this site we have tried to reserve the word help in thread titles to signify that someone needs emergency assistance.

Get the brakes fixed and bring it to the Haspin Rally in June we'll have a beer.

 

[rustystud]

Aren't we all here for help when we post? Almost no need to ever actually say it, inho.

Explain your needs and someone will "help".

We do it because it is how we've managed a great website for some time now. If a new guy is gonna give us crap for that, well he is not gonna do it for long. May get banned(cause I feel like it).

Doghead your kidding right ? You don't just go after people because you don't like them do you ? I know some people have "attitudes" , could be because they had a rotten day at work or the wife got pissed because, (who knows why the wife gets pissed !!!! I don't most of the time ! ). But just because someone rubs you the wrong way is no reason to go after them, right ? I would hope this site doesn't go that way, after all I'm payed up till next year !

 

[doghead]

I merely paraphrased the op's comment(to show how ignorant it was).

Get with the program!

 

[Hainebd]

Bunch of grumps here anymore. Sitting a year, could be anything from wheelcylinders to bad brake hose. check it all out! or let us know when you driv so we can stay home.