A bit north of Idaho Falls.
Road trip time
- Thread starter quickster
- Start date
If you drive cars/trucks with 4 wheel drums, you'll find brakes can just be a suggestion. My f100 is that way and so was a 66 caddy my dad had, high power engines dont help much. You will learn to lightly test your brakes well before a stop and to try at maintaing your distance. A manual has its advantage in that you can make a habbit of downshifting like you do upshifting, it aids in draging your feet to help with stopping. Also if you find no brakes, pumping them up can have a chance of finding you something that is if you still have fluid or did not over heat drums. The last thing you want to do is freak out and stand dumb founded on the brake pedal.
I do that in my RV especially, but everything else really too. It was especially helpful when the RV lost the alternator belt and I didn't know until I did a few light brake presses and the pedal went hard as I was approaching a right turn (long dedicated turn lane). So I was able to slow down without power brakes without it being almost a wreck. I was turning onto the ramp for a highway in east Amarillo TX going southbound and I knew of a truck stop 5 miles or so straight ahead so I put on the hazard lights and stayed around 40-45mph and made it there to park overnight so it would cool down for putting on a spare belt.
Big Bart
Tow&Slow
This why Ford put on the vacuum warning system that turns on the brake warning light. Comes on when the vacuum is lower than needed.(Or not working at all.) Small round item on passenger fender well (Pickups not sure about vans.) with a vacuum line on one side and wires on the other. However I am sure many have failed by now, but good reminder why to fix and not delete or ignore.
Upside is you loose the brake booster not the brake system.
Upside is you loose the brake booster not the brake system.
Can it even BE fixed?
An alternative would be a vacuum gauge but then you have something else you have to watch gauge wise.
$17 for one of these, though I dislike the counterclockwise face on it.
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This one is clockwise but it's $43:
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Old Goat
Full Access Member
Well if you don`t like those gauges, how about
Stewart Warner gauges?
www.jegs.com
Don`t like that one...how about these?
I picked up a SW like the first one from Summit Racing in Sparks, Nv. in the store. Now they don`t show one available.
Goat.
Stewart Warner gauges?
Stewart Warner 82328: Deluxe-Series Vacuum Gauge, 2-1/16 in. Diameter, Mechanical - Black Facedial - JEGS
Get the Best Performance with Stewart Warner Deluxe-Series Vacuum Gauge, 2-1/16 in. Diameter, Mechanical - Black Facedial 82328 parts at JEGS. Shop Now at the Guaranteed Lowest Price!
www.jegs.com
Don`t like that one...how about these?
I picked up a SW like the first one from Summit Racing in Sparks, Nv. in the store. Now they don`t show one available.
Goat.
Big Bart
Tow&Slow
Sorry should have been more clear, was suggesting you fix the warning system and not ignore or delete the system.
To your point I am not aware if you can fix or rebuild a old vacuum sensor switch. The challenge with a conversion to a standard vacuum guage is it does not alert you to a failure like a red light coming on should. One bennifit is it can tell you if your pump is weak. (Not working a 100%.) Maybe there is one that has a light when the vacuum is low.
There was a post a few weeks back about someone who found a generic vacuum sensor on Amazon that he said he got to work.
Like so many obsolete parts on our trucks I am sure there are still a lot of working ones at the junk yards to be found. Not a fan of junk yard parts but sometimes it’s your only option.
To your point I am not aware if you can fix or rebuild a old vacuum sensor switch. The challenge with a conversion to a standard vacuum guage is it does not alert you to a failure like a red light coming on should. One bennifit is it can tell you if your pump is weak. (Not working a 100%.) Maybe there is one that has a light when the vacuum is low.
There was a post a few weeks back about someone who found a generic vacuum sensor on Amazon that he said he got to work.
Amazon.com: Superior (K058) Universal Adjustable Vacuum Switch Kit : Tools & Home Improvement
Buy Superior (K058) Universal Adjustable Vacuum Switch Kit: Lock Replacement Parts - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com
Like so many obsolete parts on our trucks I am sure there are still a lot of working ones at the junk yards to be found. Not a fan of junk yard parts but sometimes it’s your only option.
Robert Johnson
Registered User
I did 1,500 miles in 24 hours from North Dakota to Texas towing a uhaul, in a 94 with the IDIT and the E4OD. Truck has almost 300k miles. Had the cruise set on 75 the whole time. No problems. But I change the oil every 2,000 miles, dropped the trans pan and changed the filter and oil before the trip, and did all the other little maintenance things before the trip.
