2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission NEED HELP! Brake problem driving me nuts

[AlFischer]

The well is at 350. Fortunatly he problems are above ground. Re-ditched 110 ft and laid new conduit and water line. UPHILL! Hired the trenching and an unemployed worker to finish with a shovel and help lay the pipes. He took direction pretty well.

Replacing all the functional components for the last tme I hope. Finding someone to do a job to my standards (RIGHT) is harder than just doing it myself. At least when I screw up I know who is to blame!

It's easier to just DO it than to redo someones crappy work. The cost of plumbing and electrical components makes me wonder how anyone can afford to build a new home. We built this one about 17 years ago and prices now seem about double.



I'm 72 so it is getting harder, but I ain't gonna give up untill I drop!



When I get under the truck this weekend I will post what I found.



Pulling a well is not difficult, just hard work. You need a device that holds the pipe from going back down and a winch of some kind. I forget what it is called but google it. The real problem is the weight of the water in the line. However if the is no check valve at the bottom it won't be that heavy. Just the weight of the pump, pipe and wire. NOT and hand over hand pull for 500 ft though. Mine is sched 80 PVC with 20 ft threaded sections so it's not that bad. Galvanized would be heavier but holds better in the clamping device. Here is one type available commercially. http://www.americawestdrillingsupply.com/WellPipeClamps.asp A few basic welding skills and you cound buils one.

 

[AlFischer]

I wonder if you may have air trapped in the ABS unit itself??

Mike.

How can I bleed it? I'm willing to try ANYTHING! (short of visiting the dealer!!!)

 

[AlFischer]

Is the procedure in the shop manual? I have one.

 

[mwilson]

Is the procedure in the shop manual? I have one.

I think the shop manual procedure requires the Starscan tool.



I have had air in the ABS issues before, once with a Cadillac and also with two of my Chrysler Town and Countrys. Bleed until you are blue in the face and the brakes still won't be right. Either the pedal was not at the right height or the brakes were weak.



What I finally figured out is when you take the vehicle to a dealer or repair shop for a bleed they hook up the tool which has a procedure that lets the valves in the ABS unit cycle or open which allows the trapped air to move out of the unit.



I figured the same thing would take place if I forced the ABS unit to activate and then tried to bleed the system again.

Doing so cured all three vehicles mentioned above. BUT all of those three had suffered fluid loss as a result of bad calipers or blown lines.



So what I do now is bleed the brakes, then take the vehicle out on a dirt road with no traffic. Do a couple of panic stops, nothing Evil Knievel style, just hard enough stops that would lock the wheels on a non-ABS vehicle.

When you stop hard enough you will either hear the ABS pump engage or feel the pedal jump. You may also feel the wheels locking and unlocking for a split second.

After you are sure that the ABS has activated a couple of times take the vehicle back home and bleed it all the wheels again.



It may not be your issue but I would sure give it a try. Even though you didn't blow a line you still may have some air trapped in there.



After any brake work now that involves opening the system I always do the ABS panic stop befoe my final bleed of the system.



Mike.

 

[AlFischer]

I think the shop manual procedure requires the Starscan tool.

I have had air in the ABS issues before, once with a Cadillac and also with two of my Chrysler Town and Countrys. Bleed until you are blue in the face and the brakes still won't be right. Either the pedal was not at the right height or the brakes were weak.

What I finally figured out is when you take the vehicle to a dealer or repair shop for a bleed they hook up the tool which has a procedure that lets the valves in the ABS unit cycle or open which allows the trapped air to move out of the unit.

I figured the same thing would take place if I forced the ABS unit to activate and then tried to bleed the system again.
Doing so cured all three vehicles mentioned above. BUT all of those three had suffered fluid loss as a result of bad calipers or blown lines.

So what I do now is bleed the brakes, then take the vehicle out on a dirt road with no traffic. Do a couple of panic stops, nothing Evil Knievel style, just hard enough stops that would lock the wheels on a non-ABS vehicle.
When you stop hard enough you will either hear the ABS pump engage or feel the pedal jump. You may also feel the wheels locking and unlocking for a split second.
After you are sure that the ABS has activated a couple of times take the vehicle back home and bleed it all the wheels again.

It may not be your issue but I would sure give it a try. Even though you didn't blow a line you still may have some air trapped in there.

After any brake work now that involves opening the system I always do the ABS panic stop befoe my final bleed of the system.

Mike.

I can do that. Live on a dirt road and have a 500 ft gravel driveway. I will give a try.

 

[AlFischer]

My apologies for not getting back. Have not had time to do the truck yet. The well job to MUCH longer than expected, and I ended up with some more honey-doos. Also had to prep the trailer for a planned two week trip. Will get back to this problem as soon as time and energy permits.

 

[bry1216]

1) I got this gut feeling warm liquid is bypassing something like in the valve body of the master cylinder. You would never see bubbles when bleeding the brakes, so the question is are you seeing bubbles while bleeding the brakes????



2) If you disconnect the ABS and the dash light does not come on, then I think you have a bad sensor up front.



I which we understood about the bubbles in the beginning.



Hope it helps.

 

[AlFischer]

I saw bubbles at first but the were new calipers that were full of air. Don't remember seeing bubbles on the second bleeds, but I was using SpeedBleeders. I have a good firm pedal that does not feel like air in the system.

What sensor are you referring to? I am aware of the magnetic pickups on the wheels. Is there another sensor I can check?

 

[AlFischer]

My apologies for the delay in getting back to you folks. I activated the ABS several times and bled afterwards. No air in the brakes. Got extremely busy finishing the well and took a planned trip. Hit several chunks of wood that someone lost from their load and bent damaged the trailer frame pretty badly. Had to deal with the shop and the insurance company. As I said - BUSY!

Anyhow I am convinced that the problem is not in the brakes and plan to order a set of urethane bushings and possibly ball joints. My son did that on his 98 and thinks it fixed the death wobble problem he had.

I highly doubt that the braking force on any two wheels is exactly the same, close but no perfectly equal. I am thinking that any slop in the suspension could cause a slight pull like I have.
Oh, well, don't want to tear into it but looks like that is the next logical step. Whatever I find I will post in case it can save others from a lot of grief.

Thanks again for the guidance and great suggestions.

 

[Road Dog]

Dodge used a thin spacer on (usually) the passenger side of some trucks to correct a brake pull. If the spacer was removed or stuck to the wheel and rotated away then a pull might happen. It's all vague since only some vehicles had them. It was probably cheaper than putting an adjustable track bar on all trucks. Using the VIN at a dealer service desk should bring up an exact parts list for the truck. Or it might have been dealer installed to fix a brake pull problem under warranty.

 

[AlFischer]

Dodge used a thin spacer on (usually) the passenger side of some trucks to correct a brake pull. If the spacer was removed or stuck to the wheel and rotated away then a pull might happen. It's all vague since only some vehicles had them. It was probably cheaper than putting an adjustable track bar on all trucks. Using the VIN at a dealer service desk should bring up an exact parts list for the truck. Or it might have been dealer installed to fix a brake pull problem under warranty.

Where did the spacer go? I don't remember anything that I removed. The dealer has never touched MY truck after they changed the defective mirrors at delivery time. I have done all my own work!

 

[Road Dog]

It just slid on between the rotor and the wheel.