Check those brake hoses!

[Agnem]

When the NightMoose was inspected last week, one of the items I was requested to change out was the right front brake hose. My inspection mechanic showed me where it was swollen and said that "the connection in there gets rusty, and can blow out on you". Well, I didn't have any problem agreeing to that and said I would take care of it. We have several weeks to go no doubt, before this truck can be driven, so there was no hurry. Matthias was using it on the property to practice parrallel parking (he takes his test tomorrow), and I was conducting the exercise. As I was observing his right front wheel about to come into contact with my makeshift "curb", I saw hydraulic fluid shoot out from above the right front wheel! :***:

Darn if that hose didn't just blow right off!

He had NO brakes. Boy if he had been going down one of our hills he could have been in real bad shape. An inexperienced driver and a brake failure doesn't make for a good combination. He'll be getting new brake lines all the way around now.

Everybody take heed, and check your rubber hoses for swelling where they are crimped onto the hard lines.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

I had my front driver-side hose crack right where the rubber meets the steel line, it didn't blow but if I stood on the pedal it would leak - yah, it got replaced in a hurry, along with the other side and the line between them and the line from the master cylinder to the splitter block.

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

Hey Mel, I'd go back and ask him for some lottery numbers today if I were you.

Nothing worse than a blown hose.

 

[hesutton]

Man o man.....lucky that happend in your drive and not on the road. Like you said..............it could have be a disaster!

Heath

 

[Exekiel69]

Good mechanics are not abundant, I could take some vehicles for inspection around here and they will pass it or have 1 or 2 items to repair when I know it has several that need to be fixed. I guess $65 for an inspection doesn't interest them on work out.

 

[Cat_Rebel]

I think if you buy a older truck plan on doing all new brake lines front & back. I just kept fixing mine as need be & I ended up just tracing down problems all the time. It's worth it to spend $30 or whatever it costs & do em all.
First time mine went out on me I was sitting at a red light & all of a sudden the pedal went to the floor & the truck started creeping. Tell me that won't wake you up in a hurry!

 

[subway]

glad to hear everyone is ok

you should still have had your rear brakes though........ are they out of adjustment, a dual piston master cylinder is supposed to prevent total failure.

 

[Agnem]

That's what I thought. It's likely that the back is out of whack. I have two new drums to go on, as the old ones were shot.

 

[Double-S-Diesel]

with the single resivoir master cylinder, you will loose all brakes, that is also why it is a must to have a emergency brake that works.

 

[ghunt]

I'm trying to replace mine...everything's rusted together

 

[typ4]

Mel I been telling folks that for years. I had an old mechanic tell me to not come back to ask how to get my truck running till I had brakes, I was 14 and that was the best advice I ever got, that I listened to, the one I really should have listened to was the one about keeping something in my pants, Still dont have that one down.

 

[The Warden]

That's what I was always taught...who cares whether your truck runs or not; if it can't stop, it shouldn't be on the road. This also demonstrates why a functioning parking brake is critical...

I never understood some of these newer cars, that have a push-button parking brake...it makes sense from a parking/convenience standpoint, but it seems to me that there's no provision for an emergency brake if the hydraulic system fails...

Thank goodness everyone's okay!!

 

[Full Monte]

Mel I been telling folks that for years. I had an old mechanic tell me to not come back to ask how to get my truck running till I had brakes, I was 14 and that was the best advice I ever got, that I listened to, the one I really should have listened to was the one about keeping something in my pants, Still dont have that one down.

"When it points to the sky, the brains fall to the floor!"

 

[punkmechanic]

as for the parking brakes. they are just that anymore. the new f150-f450 have small drum style brakes inside the rear disc brakes. if you tap them at 45+ mph they disintegrate and destroy the rear rotor. Its a joke really. I used to work for vw and the new passats have that push button brakes. the best part was when the system went nutz (not too often but I saw it a few times) and kick on at highway speed. the customer would come in and say they felt a "bump" when going down the interstate yesterday and now the parking brake doesnt work and there is a light on in the dash.

They used to be emergency brakes that could be used in an emergency to slow and stop the vehicle in a controlled fashion. now they are rarely used commodities for soccer moms in mini vans to keep from sticking in park.

oh the world and all the idiots on it.

punk

 

[The Warden]

the new f150-f450 have small drum style brakes inside the rear disc brakes. if you tap them at 45+ mph they disintegrate and destroy the rear rotor. Its a joke really.

Actually, that design isn't all that new. My Mercedes is built the same way, and as I understand it, that design's been around (at least on M-B's) since the 1960's when they switched to 4-wheel disc brakes. Maybe they made it smaller and more useless on newer vehicles, but on my M-B, it'll bring the vehicle to a stop...nowhere near as quickly as the service brake, but it IS a functioning parking brake.

I believe that the A5 Jetta/Golf platform somehow engages the rear disc brake pads with the E-brake, but I believe that most other vehicles with 4-wheel disc brakes either have the small drum in the disc, or have a driveshaft brake like the F-450's...