When the pedal goes to the floor... and it's not the gas or clutch.

[mountainexplorer]

When the pedal goes to the floor... and it\'s not the gas or clutch.

Finally found out on the way home what the squealing noise was from my front brakes. I had figured a worn pad(s), and was going to check them out when I got home.

So, barreling down the highway at 55/60mph with a load of stuff in the back and a snowplow on, I realize, hey, the brakes are gone.

The inner pad on the front drivers caliper came off, and the piston was pushing into the rotor all day today. When it wore to the point where it pushed out so far, it ripped the rubber seal. Wore a wide rotor width slot into the caliper piston.

What do ya know... I was bringing a front axle home with me... and it had one caliper. The drivers side one even. This was too good to be true.

Got it all back together in a gas station parking lot, and, of course, the bolt for this other caliper was too big for the fitting in the line. /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif

So out comes a hammer and... well, lets say I made it work, and we drove the rest of the way home with braking capability. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[justhorsinaround]

Re: When the pedal goes to the floor... and it\'s not the gas or clutch.

MMMM

Brakes, good!!

Slammin into stationary objects, bad!!

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

Re: When the pedal goes to the floor... and it\'s not the gas or clutch.

[ QUOTE ]
MMMM

Brakes, good!!

Slammin into stationary objects, bad!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank god you didn't hit anything.

That happened to me once when I was 16 and driving my '84.

I took it home (slowly), then parked it, and replaced EVERY braking component before it ever left my garage again.

It was a long and expensive weekend but I wanted to make sure that'd never happen again.

 

[77crewcab]

Re: When the pedal goes to the floor... and it\'s not the gas or clutch.

Was this in the Crewcab? Cause I know that feeling very well I had the MC and booster go out on mine doing 45 and coming to a light that had just changed red /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif Ever seen a power slide done in a 7000lb crewcab? That is basically what I did to get the truck into the shopping center parking lot just before the light. Finally got it stopped with the e-brake, thank goodness the lot was empty. then drove five miles through traffic to my house with only the e-brake to stop me. Ahh fun times /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif

 

[mountainexplorer]

Re: When the pedal goes to the floor... and it\'s not the gas or clutch.

I'm glad I didn't hit anything too. My emergency backup to try to slow down is dropping the plow blade, but only as a last resort.

I could tell something was fishy halfway home. Roads were slick up north when I left for home. 35x14.50 Thornbirds suck on ice too. (The 235/85R16's are waiting here at home). I did some braking testing on slick parts, and when I pulled over the last time, something felt wrong. I checked brake fluid and all the lines/fittings, and everything was dry.

But I couldn't see the seeping fluid inside the caliper/piston area... I had just looked at the fittings. So I took it easy the rest of the way home... tested it and it was spongy, but pumped up, so I just kept a really long following distance. When I went to stop at a gas station just before town, I allowed a long ways to stop... and I used all of it and more, right up to the pump. Needless to say, the seal was way gone by then, and thats when I found the real problem.

I have a caliper to change tomorrow as well as tires, then I should be plow ready. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

It wasn't one of the crew cabs, its an '84 Chevy regular cab truck; my temporary plow truck for this year since mine hasn't been finished.