Brake Failure

[bflood]

I had an instant laxative effect brake failure yesterday while hauling a 10,000# equipment load on my GN trailer.



We were exiting I95 in Rhode Island and the pedal went to the floor. With lots of pumping, gear-shifting, and manual activation of the trailer brake we managed to get stopped.



The flex line to the left front caliper broke on the end connected to the brake line. This end has a rubber sleeve over the crimp joint which appears to hold moisture and the metal connector underneath was rusted away. We made a temporary block repair with a 1/8th rod "plug" and a small hose clamp. While testing its integrity, the right hose sprung a bad leak in the EXACT SAME PLACE!



We were out of clamps so decided to make the last 10 miles, relying on the rear brakes of the split system (plus trailer brakes and some careful driving). The split braking didn't work very well because the leaking fluid from the right caliper line both limited much front braking but apparently built up enough pressure to prevent the differential braking valve from shutting off the front system to allow the rear brake to take over. Either that or the valve just wasn't working. It took about 3 pumps to get any rear braking each time. Pretty hectic. At our 1st stop we were able to make full repairs with new hoses from NAPA.



The warning? This may be a common problem to watch for. The design of the caliper hose, with its outside rubber sleeve on one end, not only promotes corrosion by retaining moisture (and salt spray in the winter?) but masks a visual inspection to discover the problem with preventative maintenance.



I'm not sure what I'm going to do for the future but I may cut off this offending rubber sleeve. Any suggestions would be welcomed.

 

[JLEONARD]

Bruce,

Yikes, that must have been an exiting few minutes!!:--)

Glad you got back safely.

I'll be checking mine soon, you can bet on that!

Jay

 

[Philip]

It is very scarey when you loose the front brakes on one of these trucks. I lost mine once also. I was lucky and did not have a trailer behind me at the time.



I replace all the rubber lines on the front brakes every two years now. Mine is a 4x4 model. The hoses get crimped pretty hard on turns on the 4X4 models.

 

[crabman]

Sure Fix

bflood,

Very quick thinking on your part. Not shutting off your brain in times of emergency is the main thing that will keep you from being a statistic.

I would not replace the brake hoses with another set just like the ones that failed. (jmho) Check out EGR performance brakes, issue 39 page 53 of the TDR. (Kevlar braided S/S brake lines) Probably more $$ but why take the chance. Going is one thing Stopping is a whole new ball game!! Mass in motion, etc.



crabman

 

[RamAZ]

Brake Failure.

I. m glad to hear no one was injured. I'm changing the brakes on my 92 this weekend.



New master cylinder, hoses, rotors, bearings, seals, studs and nuts. Re-manufactured heavy duty (the ones with steel pistons)unloaded calipers. All parts from NAPA. I'm getting pads from Sam Peterson in WA.



I'm going to install speed bleeders if they get here in time. If not then Autozone is suppose to have them but I don't deal much with them. Anybody heard anything bad about the speed bleeders?



Glad no one was hurt.



Jim

 

[DBF]

instant laxative effect

I'll bet you did! I'm glad you got the 350 stopped without harm to anyone.



After Jay's KDP party we attended, I had the EGR rear disc brakes installed, and the Kevlar hoses "crabman" mentioned installed on the front as well as the rear. These hoses look really sturdy.



I can't state that the brakes improve stopping distance because I didn't take any baseline numbers. It feels better. The real benefit I wanted from it will be that they can get hot and still provide braking ability.



Even if you don't want to upgrade the brakes, you might want to use their hoses for safety in that New England environment.



Regards, DBF/Owen