soft brakes
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soft brakes
a few weeks ago i was having a burning smell come from my right rear wheel after drives of more than half an hour. i was out of town for work and tried to bring the van (85 e350) to a few places to have it checked and no one would do it becaues of having to take the axle off to check. anyways, the smell went away.
yesterday my brake felt soft and i looked in the master cylinder and the front reservoir was low.
today i went to go get some fluid and the brakes were incredibly soft. at the autoparts store i went to refill the resevoir and found the front one empty. filled it up and by halfway home the brakes were fairly normal (although stilla little soft).
wondering what my next move should be to troubleshooot my brake problems?
thanks
yesterday my brake felt soft and i looked in the master cylinder and the front reservoir was low.
today i went to go get some fluid and the brakes were incredibly soft. at the autoparts store i went to refill the resevoir and found the front one empty. filled it up and by halfway home the brakes were fairly normal (although stilla little soft).
wondering what my next move should be to troubleshooot my brake problems?
thanks
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 854
Likes: 49
From: Maine
Crawl under the van and look for the leak. If you can't see it, top off the master, pump the brakes some, and look again for a leak.
It should be very apparent. Report back with leak location.
Don't drive the van until you fix the leak.
Roy
It should be very apparent. Report back with leak location.
Don't drive the van until you fix the leak.
Roy
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looked under there this morning and i can see a leak coming out from the rear right wheel. the leak is on the inside (as opposed to the outside of the wheel). reading in past threads seems like a leaking wheel cylinder? that means i have to pull the axle to fix it?
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,437
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
If it has a Dana rear you need to pull the axle, sterling axles the drum just slides off. I'm not sure what the e series had in 85, my 86 f350 has a sterling and the drums slide off without removing the axle.
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 854
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From: Maine
Here is more less-than-great news.
Lots of people think brake shoes contaminated with brake fluid need to be replaced. Here is a discussion:
Contaminated brake shoe?
If you decide the shoes are contaminated and want to replace them, then you have to replace the shoes on the other side (just the rear) of the truck, too. And, if you do that, go ahead and put a new wheel cylinder there, too.
Wheel cylinders and brake hardware kits are cheap. Do the whole rear once and do it right.
Of course, if you have the type axle where you have to pull the axle to get to the drum (e.g., Dana full-floaters) you will also need two axle gaskets (or RTV) and two axle grease seals.
Lots of people think brake shoes contaminated with brake fluid need to be replaced. Here is a discussion:
Contaminated brake shoe?
If you decide the shoes are contaminated and want to replace them, then you have to replace the shoes on the other side (just the rear) of the truck, too. And, if you do that, go ahead and put a new wheel cylinder there, too.
Wheel cylinders and brake hardware kits are cheap. Do the whole rear once and do it right.
Of course, if you have the type axle where you have to pull the axle to get to the drum (e.g., Dana full-floaters) you will also need two axle gaskets (or RTV) and two axle grease seals.
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*****. i have to bring it in to a shop because i need the van asap for work and don't have time to get into this big of a repair (and learning curve) at the moment. guess its gonna cost me a bit. ah well. thanks for all the help.
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 854
Likes: 49
From: Maine
Happens to just about everyone, at some time. Please report back with what they find.
Once again, I would suggest two new wheel cylinders.
Roy
Once again, I would suggest two new wheel cylinders.
Roy
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yup it was the wheel cylinder. for now (because i need it first thing in the a.m. for a work project) they just replaced the cylinder and the axle gasket on the one wheel. was $300 in parts/labor at a generic chain. will be $400 more to do the other side and replace pads (which they said were low). but its safe to drive for now and that buys me some time to see if i can tackle the full project on my own. probably wasn't much more than a few bucks in parts they put in but i guess when you don't have time/knowledge to fix these things on your own they can get pricey...
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 426
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From: Topeka,Ks.
yup it was the wheel cylinder. for now (because i need it first thing in the a.m. for a work project) they just replaced the cylinder and the axle gasket on the one wheel. was $300 in parts/labor at a generic chain. will be $400 more to do the other side and replace pads (which they said were low). but its safe to drive for now and that buys me some time to see if i can tackle the full project on my own. probably wasn't much more than a few bucks in parts they put in but i guess when you don't have time/knowledge to fix these things on your own they can get pricey...
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