close call!

[leelandaiche]

went for a little cruise today in my bronco. the roads are a little slick from the rain we have been getting. im going down a small 2 lane highway today and come to a redlight so i start slowing down... my brakes lock up and i start going sideways. i end up doing a complete 180 and ending up going the opposite way that i came! i was about 6 in. from the HUGE ditch on the side of the road. got my bronco last week and came TOO close to losing it this week! just thought i would share my close call with you guys.

 

[Mark]

That almost sucked! Glad nothing more serious happened. Why did it lock up? What kind of tires are you running?

 

[leelandaiche]

BFG all-terrain 315's. im not sure why it locked up bc i didnt stomp on the brake. i allowed myself plenty of time to stop. i pretty much tapped the brake and it just started sliding.

 

[broncnaz]

What do you have for brakes? any booster?
Sounds like somebody has done a brake conversion and the rear brakes are locking up on you before the fronts might need a adjustable proportioning valve installed in the rear line to keep the rears from locking up.
If its still drum brakes you could have some other problem I'd pull the drums and take a look. Its not good to have brakes you cant trust.

 

[leelandaiche]

the lady that i bought it from put power steering and power breaks in it. im gunna have to check for the adjustable proportioning valve. that could be the problem!

 

[cruiser]

glad there was no accident, sounds like leaky wheels cylinders, they will make your rear drums lockup, sounds weird but its true.

 

[sprinksbeme]

Bad brakes will keep you from enjoying your Bronco! If they are drums in front make a conversion asap. When driving in the rain I never knew where I was going to end up sometimes left sometimes right. Wet drums suck!
Glad you made it, but don't let it slide when the weather gets better!
Marty

 

[Ohio Bronco 21]

I had drums on my old 65 Fastback Mustang. One day it started to rain real bad (it had not in some time, oil etc. comming up from the street). Anyway, a large tanker truck of fuel ran a stop sign at about 50 mph as I was comming the other way. I locked up the drums slid hard left (spinning to the right). Just missed going out in a fire ball of glory. Yes, you need front disks at least.

 

[bigbadktm]

wow! the first day I got my 68 I was driving it home after picking it up and had to slam the brakes. New to me, never driven with all drums before adn panicked, ended up locking up the rear as well and was passing people in the dirt on the side of the road. cleaned and adjusted all the drums, but the rear still locks up. i think its time for a new proportioning valve as i cant afford the discs yet.

 

[leelandaiche]

well fellas i checked it all out... i do have disks all the way around and i do have a proportioning valve... any other ideas? idk, maybe it was just me!

 

[Scoop]

well fellas i checked it all out... i do have disks all the way around and i do have a proportioning valve... any other ideas? idk, maybe it was just me!

All good - but you still may just need to adjust the proportioning valve. Test your brakes on dry pavement and see if the rears lock up first. If they do you need to adjust the valve so that less pressure goes to the rear brakes. Adjust it until the fronts break loose first.

 

[trlblazr]

Been there done that. I slid in the gravel on a mountain road. Just about had to change my pants.

 

[trailpsycho]

DO you have power brakes or hydroboost brakes? If they are hydro, it may take some getting used to. They can be pretty sensitive (from what I hear, mines not on the road yet, but I have driven a friends Honda with them and they are quite sensitive to pressure). YOu may not have even realized how sensitive they can be, until you decrease the coefficient of drag from the water/oil on the pavement. Be careful, take it easy until you get used to it. Also, as others mentioned readjust that prop. valve.