Grease Monkey Garage

[Woodslasher]

@Nate. knows a bit of the story, but the short(er) version is I swapped out my slightly leaky original hydroboost for a Cardone reman one. I made it maybe 1/4 mile to a neighbor's and partially back before my brakes seized. After a quick look I determined my master was overfilled, my fault for topping it off after pumping up the brakes and pulling the booster. So, I drained it a bit, bled the brakes and all was good again.

This morning I went to actually road test the truck by driving it to work, since it's my DD. First mile or so felt fine, then it started feeling slightly sticky. I decided I'd turn around, dump it at the house, and figure it out later. Right after I got headed towards home it started getting really sticky. Now, there are no turnouts for another 1/4 mile at least and the road has no shoulders and is full of blind corners, so I just kept going. I finally hit a turnout, pulled over, and my brakes immediately caught fire. No real damage was done to major components and the truck made it home, but now I get to do calipers, pads, rotors, wheel bearings, and brake lines again! After talking with a Dodge shop, I learned similar booster issues are incredibly common on 90' and early 2000's Dodges.

 

[maulhead]

This was my morning:
View attachment 398550

Etch A Sketch will take a better pic if you play with the two knobs a bit and get them to focus.

 

[Woodslasher]

Etch A Sketch will take a better pic if you play with the two knobs a bit and get them to focus.

I was more interested in putting out the fire than I was in getting a really perfect picture.

 

[Mastermind]

This was my morning:
View attachment 398550

Such a nice shade of red though.

 

[Woodslasher]

Such a nice shade of red though.

I know, I kinda liked it.

 

[davidwyby]

 

[davidwyby]

Such a nice shade of red though.

Color of my truck. And my son’s truck. Gig ‘em Aggies!

 

[Nate.]

Ehhh I think they’ll be fine! Minor Heat like that shouldn’t mess up the metal much

 

[Nate.]

My aunt decides that this was an appropriate time to bring us her car for a brake check

 

[Woodslasher]

Ehhh I think they’ll be fine! Minor Heat like that shouldn’t mess up the metal much

Probably, but I'm just kinda paranoid like that.... I will add everything is being warrantied through the place I got the booster from, so that's nice. The rotor above looks like the LH front rotor that came off the Dodge when I got it, stuck caliper?

 

[Nate.]

The driver rotor on my f-350 before a full brake rebuild.

 

[Nate.]

Aside from almost all the pads being metal on metal at this point on every wheel. That particular one had the caliper come loose and flop around causing a clunking noise which is why she decided to ask us if it was something she should be concerned about…. That’s sweet that the place is covering the brakes on warranty for ya! Complete brake redo isn’t super cheap.

 

[redline4]

@Nate. knows a bit of the story, but the short(er) version is I swapped out my slightly leaky original hydroboost for a Cardone reman one. I made it maybe 1/4 mile to a neighbor's and partially back before my brakes seized. After a quick look I determined my master was overfilled, my fault for topping it off after pumping up the brakes and pulling the booster. So, I drained it a bit, bled the brakes and all was good again.

This morning I went to actually road test the truck by driving it to work, since it's my DD. First mile or so felt fine, then it started feeling slightly sticky. I decided I'd turn around, dump it at the house, and figure it out later. Right after I got headed towards home it started getting really sticky. Now, there are no turnouts for another 1/4 mile at least and the road has no shoulders and is full of blind corners, so I just kept going. I finally hit a turnout, pulled over, and my brakes immediately caught fire. No real damage was done to major components and the truck made it home, but now I get to do calipers, pads, rotors, wheel bearings, and brake lines again! After talking with a Dodge shop, I learned similar booster issues are incredibly common on 90' and early 2000's Dodges.

Why are you replacing the brake lines?

 

[redline4]

Sunday funday



View attachment 398391

This is the best hand cleaner I have ever used since I started in a shop in 1993.

 

[Woodslasher]

Why are you replacing the brake lines?

Because they were leaking from around the crimp seam closest to the caliper.

 

[redline4]

Because they were leaking from around the crimp seam closest to the caliper.

So the hoses then. I was thinking you were replacing all the hard lines because of the fire issue and that had me scratching my head as to why! Problem solved!

 

[Woodslasher]

So the hoses then. I was thinking you were replacing all the hard lines because of the fire issue and that had me scratching my head as to why! Problem solved!

Yep, I meant hoses but that message didn't make it from my brain to my fingers.

 

[Nate.]

Bit more progress, everything from the steering wheel to the pitman arm is done and (what's hopefully) the correct drag link end should show up tomorrow. Shock mounts are laid out, tomorrow if all goes well they should get cut out and welded on. Then it'll be on to installing a booster, m/c, a new proportioning valve, some new brake hoses, and a few new hard lines with a bleed-back valve worked in. I wish I could take credit for the shop and the fabricating but that is all the work of my talented and helpful neighbor. He's a retired welder that used to build 4x4's in the 70's and 80's, so all this retrofitting and modifying is right up his alley.
View attachment 397309

Whatcha running for a steering box? If I remember correctly the easiest power steering swap for these was the 78-79 4x4 box? But it doesn’t look like you went that way.

 

[Nate.]

I went digging and found a few pictures of the 71 highboy I had when I was younger. Of all the trucks I’ve bought and sold I regret selling the yellow one the most. Also found a picture of a 72 I had for bit as well.

 

[chiselbit]

My 70 started out with that same burgundy color. Then I had it painted which kind of ruined it as I was then afraid to take it out in the brush.