Always check your brake lines

[Attac]

So for a couple of weeks I have not been able to drive the bronco due to business. Yesterday I had to go get Chandler from football so I uncovered the Bronco and fired it up and drove it about 2 miles where my Range is to check on something. I finished and got back in Bronco and drove about 1 mile where an intersection is and....brake to the floor.... I have about 1500 miles on it since complete rebuild....every drivetrain part and brake part brand new... Well after slamming e brake down to floor and driving into ditch to keep from rolling into intersection, I was able to limp it home. Today while checking the system I thought one of the fittings going into proportioning block had sprung a leak. The rear brake fitting. I removed it and when I did I realized that the steering shaft had been rubbing it and had rubbed a hole in it. I never once noticed that it was against the shaft and when I installed it I know it had clearance but sometime when fiddling with something I must have pushed it over and caused the rubbing. I went and bought a new straight line and custom bent one to fit much better and these lines are harder metal than the ones that come in the disk kits, but not as brittle as the stainless ones. It is all fixed and I was able to let Chandler get more time behind the wheel today on way home from football.
I cringe to think what would have happened if he was driving yesterday and this would have happened while he was driving on the busy road we have to travel.
Bottom line. No brakes = bad ju ju
Even if you know they were installed correctly most are softer tubing and very easy to bend out of shape while tinkering on something else. This is now gonna be another preflight checklist item of mine
Yall be safe out there
Chuck

 

[Jdgephar]

I thought you only lost 1/2 when one line goes out? How'd you lose all brakes?


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[Attac]

I thought you only lost 1/2 when one line goes out? How'd you lose all brakes?


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Since the pro valve applies pressure to the rear brakes first and I had lost all pressure on the rears, the front valve never had enough pressure in it to operate the fronts. As I understand it if I lost the front line the rear would work for a few pumps anyway
Chuck

 

[sprdv1]

Glad it wasn't as bad as it could've been Chuck.

Definitely something we should maintain regularly..

 

[JAFO]

I bought a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 new back in 1996. Still own it. It has been a great truck. Anyway, about six years ago I was backing up to my trailer to hook up, then load my tractor to take over to a friends place. Long story short, backed up, hit the brakes and to the floor went the pedal. Thankful it was then and not going down the road with the trailer loaded.

Ended up the main metal line running to the rear was rusted and a hole developed. I pulled it into the shop and replaced every metal line and all the rubber lines. You never know when a machine is going to fail.

Had a more exciting time in my old 1970 Chevy pickup. Wife and I on our honeymoon (1984). Going down a mountain. Hit the brakes coming up to a turn and the pedal went to the floor. Rear rubber hose had blown. Luckily the hand brake worked. Got down the mountain. Couldn't find a line, so I screwed a bolt into the master cylinder where the line to the rear attached. Plugged it good enough. Bled the front brakes and we completed our honeymoon . It stopped, but I left plenty of following distance.

 

[DirtDonk]

Sounds like a good reason to opt for the drum/drum prop valve then, when ordering from the aftermarket. Comes without that delay valve thingy, which is prone to leaking sometimes anyway.
I like the idea of having the rears apply just a tiny bit before the fronts (like using trailer brakes to steady a wallowing trailer), but would rather have a little braking effect more I think!

Paul

 

[Viperwolf1]

I removed it and when I did I realized that the steering shaft had been rubbing it and had rubbed a hole in it.

Same thing happened to another member here. His wore through somewhere between the bottom and top of the wall on Pokepsy Gultch a couple years ago. Could have been really bad. We had to make a round trip in the rescue Bronco just to get the only available piece of brake line in town.

[youtube]Bv8YlUP5sFI[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv8YlUP5sFI