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2 new problems from rain

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Old Feb 6, 2024 | 04:23 PM
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2 new problems from rain

I have a 1988 f-150. I have 2 new problems from driving in the rain for the first time with it.

1. When I first start driving if I hit the brakes 1/4 for the first few stops after it was parked it applies them around 3/4. On the street a tire locked up once, I heard tire skid. On my dirt road in the mud it did every time the truck slid. I couldn’t tell which tire though. This is the one I’m worried about

2. Wipers motors having issues. I had them on full power earlier today when I came to a stop I can hear the motor and a knocking noise from it. I turned them back on sitting in the truck and now I just hear the motor and a light knocking. Any advice towards this could be helpful. When I use them to clean the dirty windshield they never made noise. But this is my first time using them in rain. The video is full power as well it seems weaker. I think the motors just bad but I wanted to get advice on it.
 
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Old Feb 6, 2024 | 04:48 PM
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Manually, adjust the brakes up snug. See if that helps.
I have heard a lot worse on wipers. Could just be a plastic bushing that got brittle and cracked.
 
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Old Feb 7, 2024 | 05:03 AM
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That's what I am thinking as well
A cracked gear in the wiper motor
I would wait until it quits to replace it unless you have the funds
You might want to inspect the linkage (the wiper transmission)
The brakes
Oil is not your friend on the rear brakes
If no oil, then adjust the shoes like the above post mentions
Pretty common for one rear wheel to lockup on those old RABS trucks
Especially the RR tire if driving on dirt
 
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Old Feb 7, 2024 | 07:22 AM
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Originally Posted by hobohilton
Manually, adjust the brakes up snug. See if that helps.
I have heard a lot worse on wipers. Could just be a plastic bushing that got brittle and cracked.
Agreed. About 15 years ago the wipers in my '92 F150 started to make a knocking noise, and turns out it was a plastic bushing in the wiper linkage. Only thing I remember about it now was it was a PITA to get it out (had to remove the cowl, and the hood, I think), and I couldn't find individual parts so I replaced the whole she-bang with a JY set-up.

Still quiet today, knock on wood!

(Edit: I just watched the video, but didn't hear the same knocking sound I heard from my own truck. Best advice I can give now is to open-up the cowl, remove the linkage, and see if that makes it go away. But you'll probably have to apply a little pressure on the motor to simulate a load...)

Good luck!
 
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Old Feb 7, 2024 | 09:49 AM
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I will check if there is oil on the brakes. They were just adjusted 4 months ago so that would suck if they already came out of adjustment. Would that mean something’s wrong? They had a good adjustment. I will look at the linkage to the blades as well. I don’t know if I’ll remove the cowl yet until they break.
 
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Old Feb 7, 2024 | 09:55 AM
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They should hold their adjustment for quite a while unless you ride them hard or leave the E brake on or it sticks
A sticking brake cable combined with an out of adjustment brake causes a lockup easy
Pull the drums off and inspect the brake shoes where the pivot pin is at the top
Those shoes should be contacting the pivot pin
apply the E brake a little bit and then release it
See if those shoes are still against the pin and double check the adjustment
 
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Old Feb 7, 2024 | 09:58 AM
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You could verify the self adjuster works by pulling the cable back and watching the adjuster move
Make sure it moves the right way in case someone switched the self adjuster side to side
That makes them un adjust, as they try to self-adjust, until they are too loose to adjust anymore
My English teacher sure would bleed all over that last one
 
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Old Feb 7, 2024 | 10:28 AM
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One other thing on the wiper noise:

I had to remove, and flush-out, the washer lines and "squirters" on my F250 a week ago, and the cowl is removable without taking off the hood. Or at least it is on a '92.

Good luck!
 
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