Brakes , how should they be ?

[dragonwagon]

Buying my 1st deuce ( 71 jeep ) i have no idea how the brakes should feel . They stop the truck fine , pedal is up at the top . Fluid looks good and is full . Iv driven it quit a bit with no issue but how should they work ?

Today while playing in the snow in the yard they changed abroptly . while the pedal has always been near the top the brakes felt like an old truck with manual brakes . Today i hit the brakes and the pedal was much softer like a car with power brakes . Release the pedal and i hear air release which i never did before .

Question is , how are they suppose to be ? Did something go wrong today , or did something start working correctly that was perhaps hung up in the past ?

When you use the brakes , release brake pedal should i hear a small release of air from the airpack ?

Does the deuce normally have a feel of power brakes or simular to a pickup that had manual brakes ?

No leaks i can see , fluid is full and the tandems will lock up much easier then they did before .

I had to work a 11 hour day so i only took a quick look at it and parked to get to work .

How something should work is not in the TM , its a matter of experience that i lack being my 1st military truck .

 

[Westech]

yes you should hear a hiss..... and they should feel like a car or truck.. little more power to push but not a two footer. The pedal should have 3/4 inch of free play before the brakes start to grab. If you have not lubed your air pack.. (I know you have not done) time to do so. On the back of the Air pack (booster) there is a 1/8 inch plug facing the rear of the truck.. take that out and squirt in a little Air tool oil.

 

[Flyingvan911]

It's a good idea to pull the wheels also and inspect everything to be sure that the shoes aren't worn out and that everything else doesn't leak, stick, or otherwise not work right.

 

[dragonwagon]

I have some new tires mounted up for the rear . Plan to inspect brakes and change a couple seals in the rear all at the same time , when i get the time . Hopefully before spring .

Its never taken both feet to stop the truck , like i said , simular to standard manual brakes , decent stopping power , never pulled a trailer or carried a load . Im talking empty truck .

I was a little surprised today , manual to power brakes instantly .

 

[Flyingvan911]

If the truck hasn't been driven for a while the brakes might have gotten weak from the moving parts not moving for a while. You have excersiced the moving parts and moved the brake fluid so now they are back to full strength. There are no such thing as manual brakes for a deuce. It's way to heavy. It's either power brakes or pray fast.

 

[Heavysteven]

I would lube the airpack and power bleed the brakes.

Dito on the brake inspection.

 

[dragonwagon]

Im aware they are all power brakes , just saying the feel of the pedal and stopping power reminded me of a pickup with manual brakes , well for us old enough to have driven them anyway .

They were exceptible but not super .

Im getting things done on it , just a lot slower then i planned .

New boots are on the front .

Fuel system cleaned from the tank to the pump .

axel lube , to winch fliud all seem to be new , oil change was done right away .

More of a long term project then expected do to time demands elsewhere .

Maybe its time to oder the seals for the rear , pull it down for brake work seals and tires . Good " next step " i guess .

 

[dragonwagon]

I appreciate the info gentelman .