Crisis Checked My Brakes Today....

[RangerDave]

Just a friendly reminder to all, in this cold and icy new year, to check your brakes!!!

I started up my deuce and ran her a bit before I brought her in the garage for a brake inspection and bearing/seal check up... drove down the driveway a bit and hit the brakes on the dirt drive and had a satisfied skid. Hit the brake pedal a few times to check for satisfactory air recovery. Then stabbed the pedal and my foot slowly hit the floor.... got out to check and yup I blew a rear line!!! I pays to perform pre-checks before heading out!!!

I guess I have another item on my check list to go over now!!!

It makes me want to build a split system real bad!!!

 

[glcaines]

The brakes on a Deuce work well when they are in good condition. The problem is a combination of the single MC and the totally unknown condition of the brake system when received from GL or elsewhere for that matter.

 

[cattlerepairman]

You cannot be too careful or take anything for granted. I replaced all wheel cylinders, flex lines and brake shoes. Two months later and I just saw wetness on the inside of the left front tire..coming from the drain hole in the brake drum. Wanna bet it is a leaking brand new wheel cylinder?

 

[wsucougarx]

I hear you. I redid all of my wheel cylinders on my '68 w/only 5k miles on it from a Tooele Rebuild in 1990. 3/6 wheel cylinders were completely seized up. Truck stopped just great with no issues. Just decided to go in and check everything out....glad I did.

 

[RangerDave]

Sooooo..... I guess I am going to jump in and over haul the whole brake system... Master Cylinder to Wheel cylinder.... OUCH!!! But I can't trust the system any more, So every line and hose must go!!!

 

[cattlerepairman]

Sooooo..... I guess I am going to jump in and over haul the whole brake system... Master Cylinder to Wheel cylinder.... OUCH!!! But I can't trust the system any more, So every line and hose must go!!!

Well...at least carefully inspected. If, for example, your truck was apparently not exposed to road salt in a manner that caused corrosion everywhere, the steel brake lines can be in perfect shape. I'd replace the rubber flex lines, for peace of mind. On the other hand, if you find one badly rusted steel line, I'd replace them all.

 

[Lex_Ordo]

Without knowing the condition, I decided that all rubber lines, hoses and belts were going to be replaced when I took delivery.
I pulled two wheels and the brakes cylinders, as well as the shoes looked new.
However...
I still replaced all the flex lines, and pumped all the brake fluid out, replaced with new Silicone, and Bled.
Then a friend of mine quite sometime later, was under the ruck doing some work, re-bled the system, and adjusted the brakes again.
So far so good.

These are big trucks, and require constant inspection & maintinence.

 

[jwaller]

one must also realize the quality of the parts we are getting is about one tenth what the originals were.

by that I mean, I have replaced all the flex hoses on all my trucks and trailers and its only been a few short years and already I can see age cracking and these things are very well taken care of and do not sit in direct sunlight and are kept super clean.

 

[RangerDave]

I'm waiting until I can pull the rig into the shop to do a full inspection... but from what I thought I saw, a perfectly fine looking steel line blew just before a divider to the rear tandems. Maybe it was rubbing against the frame or something like that (small rock lodged between the line and frame perhaps), but my truck is virtually rust free on the frame, so I never expected the line to go. I'll tear down each part and see what I find!!! I only want to replace what I need to.... but may times I find myself trying to talk myself into short cutting..... only having to re-do stuff... LOL

 

[Scarecrow1]

Thanks Dave and I'm glad you had them go out in a safe place ... A good pre trip is the most important part of you having a safe return trip ......Drilled into me for 25 years by UPS

 

[atankersdad]

To add to this thread ,it is important that you bleed the air tanks once you shut the truck down. Water freezes in the tanks and lines. By keeping the tanks drained it prevents frozen lines.