Bad break hose
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Auburn Hills
Bad break hose
This isn't a request for help - but searching the forums here helped me fix the issue so I figured I would detail it so if someone else hits the same issue they might find it.
F-150, short bed regular cab, 4.2L engine. First noticed the issue because the truck was pulling to the driver's side on braking. Then went to wash the car after driving a few miles and noticed that the passenger side wheel was still very warm.
Next day I went to diagnose - picked up the front end of the truck onto jack stands and spun both wheels. Surprisingly, both sides spun very easily, so I thought maybe it was a momentary issue that had freed itself. Was planning on a long drive that weekend, so I brought along my non-contact thermometer to keep an eye on it.
Drove it for about 100 miles, pulled over to get gas and checked temps. All four discs were about the same temp. Continued driving and noticed something odd - I have a fuel economy gauge hooked up, and after any stop my fuel economy was lower at a fixed highway speed. Over about 20 minutes, however, it would slowly creep back up to the highest value.
I also noticed at stops on slightly un-level stops, the truck had a tendency to stay stopped for a while, then made a sound like a loosely-engaged parking brake releasing - sort of a creaking. After driving around the city, I could actually take my foot off the brake and the truck wouldn't drive off under idle power.
Based on various searches, I decided it wasn't a stuck caliper but some restriction in the brake line. That made the most sense - brake fluid wouldn't get in fast so the properly working brake would pull the car towards it, but after enough braking the caliper would act stuck for a while - but not long enough to smoke like others have seen. Between the ABS block and the caliper was all metal, except for a small section around the steering knuckle. I checked first for an obvious crimp in the metal line, but it all looked good.
Replaced the hose. The part was cheap but took lots of PB Blaster where the rubber met the flare nut to break free. After hooking it up and bleeding the air out, I took it for a drive, and everything was operating normal.
F-150, short bed regular cab, 4.2L engine. First noticed the issue because the truck was pulling to the driver's side on braking. Then went to wash the car after driving a few miles and noticed that the passenger side wheel was still very warm.
Next day I went to diagnose - picked up the front end of the truck onto jack stands and spun both wheels. Surprisingly, both sides spun very easily, so I thought maybe it was a momentary issue that had freed itself. Was planning on a long drive that weekend, so I brought along my non-contact thermometer to keep an eye on it.
Drove it for about 100 miles, pulled over to get gas and checked temps. All four discs were about the same temp. Continued driving and noticed something odd - I have a fuel economy gauge hooked up, and after any stop my fuel economy was lower at a fixed highway speed. Over about 20 minutes, however, it would slowly creep back up to the highest value.
I also noticed at stops on slightly un-level stops, the truck had a tendency to stay stopped for a while, then made a sound like a loosely-engaged parking brake releasing - sort of a creaking. After driving around the city, I could actually take my foot off the brake and the truck wouldn't drive off under idle power.
Based on various searches, I decided it wasn't a stuck caliper but some restriction in the brake line. That made the most sense - brake fluid wouldn't get in fast so the properly working brake would pull the car towards it, but after enough braking the caliper would act stuck for a while - but not long enough to smoke like others have seen. Between the ABS block and the caliper was all metal, except for a small section around the steering knuckle. I checked first for an obvious crimp in the metal line, but it all looked good.
Replaced the hose. The part was cheap but took lots of PB Blaster where the rubber met the flare nut to break free. After hooking it up and bleeding the air out, I took it for a drive, and everything was operating normal.
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Julies Cool F1
1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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Sep 10, 2008 09:35 PM
