Brake advice on a 1996 chevy Silverado 4x4
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From: stryped on 25 May 2010 08:13 On May 24, 2:57 pm, "hls" <h...(a)nospam.nix> wrote: > "stryped" <stryp...(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message news:29d7e4ce-2d31- > > There was no oil on either wheel cylinder when I took the drums off. I > am hopng the fluid does not mean I damaged the cylinder. > > ****** > You didnt damage the wheel cylinder...Sometimes they will dribble a > little IF you move the pistons too far to one side or the other...as you > might do if you are fighting the brake springs. But, if you got them > back together properly, and if they were ok to begin with, there should > be no residual problem. > > As Aarcuda says, these things dont leak a little and then stop IF they > are corroded or have the rubber parts damaged. With a vehicle as > old as yours, and with as many miles, I would have at least inspected > the cylinders, if not just replaced them automatically. > ******** > ******** > I used the other wheel to copy the pad and spring placement on the > wheel I was workign on. (drivers side). > ******** > Fair enough, but you still dont have pads ;>). > > Until you get more experienced, I would suggest that you > make a little drawing of systems that can be confusing...Note where springs > attach, the sequence of washers, springs, bolts etc. Or even make a > picture with your digital camera in case you get confused later.. > > ******** > I am going to double check but I feel the master cylinder probably > needs replacing. Is this hard? I know how to bleed brakes and I have a > vacuum pump from harbor freight for brakes. But, it seems someone said > they had to bleed there abs too? Is that necessary and how is that > done? > > ****** > If you have ABS, special bleeding techniques may be required. Look them > up in your book. > > Now, it is normally not too hard to change out a master cylinder. > Again, use proper "line wrenches" ,when needed, not visegrips or water > pump pliars, or crescent wrenches. > > ******* > I just worry thinking this will be a quick repair with the mast > cylinder and doing somthign like breaking off a bleeder screw or > something. > ******* > > Sometimes breaking something is inevitable. We have all done it. > There is no hole I have ever seen that is too deep to climb out of. > > Minimize the likelihood by using the proper tools and using them only > for what they were made for. Go easy....Some people have problems > remembering what direction you turn normal bolts or bleeders to get them > off...other people come by this naturally. Lots of people have twisted off > nuts and bleeders thinking they were loosening them when indeed they > were torqueing down on them. Think twice, act once carefully. > > Now, IMO, brakes are something that must be done correctly because > your life is riding on them. That doesnt mean that you have to replace > every part, every time, or go overboard. As you gain experience you > will learn what is critical and what isnt. I cant really tell if it is the master cylinder or not. I did notice that oil seems to be leakign where the master cylinder connects to the vacuum booster. I dont know if it just started this since I have been workign on the breaks or if it has always been this way. Once I get the other pads on on fix the emergency brake I may just replace the master cylinder and the vacuum booster. The master cylinder is 29 bucks at autozone with a lifetime warrently. The current vacuum booster I put on last year was a lifetime warrently unti from autozone. So it would cost me nothing to bring it back. Just alot more work. I looked I do have a vacuum pump for bleedign brakes although I have never used it.
From: hls on 25 May 2010 08:33 "stryped" <stryped1(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message news:0ae35820-35b6- I cant really tell if it is the master cylinder or not. I did notice that oil seems to be leakign where the master cylinder connects to the vacuum booster. ******** So the pump up test proved nothing? Have you noticed that you had to add brake fluid to the master cylinder reservoir occasionally?? If so, it had to go somewhere. Often you can smell it inside the cab of the truck if it is leaking. But, a master cylinder doesnt have to be leaking to be bad. There are other modes of failure. Get your brakes fixed first, and do them right. After you are sure they are right, you can attack the parking brake adjustment and determine whether you need a master cylinder.
From: stryped on 25 May 2010 08:40 A few other things: For some reason the pedal pressure and brakes seems to act better/feel better when goign in reverse. WHy would that be? Also, my truck does have abs but my manual says nothing about how to bleed the abs unit or even if it is required when replacing a master cylinder. It also says for rear drum adjustment to jack up the rear end, install the drums wheels and tires, and use an "adjusting tool" to adjust the brakes until the wheel grabs, then to back off so it does not grab. What is this adjusting tool, one of those spoon loking things? Can I use a screwdriver? How to I get to it with the heel and hub on?
From: stryped on 25 May 2010 08:41 On May 25, 7:33 am, "hls" <h...(a)nospam.nix> wrote: > "stryped" <stryp...(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message news:0ae35820-35b6- > > I cant really tell if it is the master cylinder or not. I did notice > that oil seems to be leakign where the master cylinder connects to the > vacuum booster. > > ******** > So the pump up test proved nothing? > > Have you noticed that you had to add brake fluid to the master > cylinder reservoir occasionally?? If so, it had to go somewhere. > Often you can smell it inside the cab of the truck if it is leaking. > > But, a master cylinder doesnt have to be leaking to be bad. There > are other modes of failure. > > Get your brakes fixed first, and do them right. After you are sure > they are right, you can attack the parking brake adjustment and > determine whether you need a master cylinder. I am confused on the pump test. I pump them hard and it still feels soft but the pedal pretty much stays in place. I have never had to add brake fluid really.
From: jim on 25 May 2010 09:08
stryped wrote: > > A few other things: > > For some reason the pedal pressure and brakes seems to act better/feel > better when goign in reverse. WHy would that be? It could be because you put the shoes on backwards. If you noticed one shoe is bigger than the other. The bigger shoe does most of the braking when going forward due to the self energizing design. If you reverse the primary and secondary shoes then the brakes self energize feature works better in reverse and not going forward. If the brakes are not adjusted properly the pedal will be spongy and braking effectiveness will be reduced. They should self-adjust by going in reverse and braking if everything was properly installed. > > Also, my truck does have abs but my manual says nothing about how to > bleed the abs unit or even if it is required when replacing a master > cylinder. > > It also says for rear drum adjustment to jack up the rear end, install > the drums wheels and tires, and use an "adjusting tool" to adjust the > brakes until the wheel grabs, then to back off so it does not grab. > What is this adjusting tool, one of those spoon loking things? Can I > use a screwdriver? How to I get to it with the heel and hub on? There should be a slot for adjusting. The slot is either in the drum or the backing plate. I think it is on the backing plate on your vehicle, which means you adjust from under the vehicle - so make sure the vehicle is safely supported and the tires are a little off the floor. A screwdriver of the right size will work. |