Brakes/steering issues

[montijo505]

Hello everyone, glad we're past the dumpster fire that was 2020! It seems to have crept up on me late though.

The normal buzzing behind the dash every so often from the brakes has become more often. About every second pedal press give or take. The thing that has me concerned is the pedal. Hit or miss right now but sometimes the brake pedal will sink way below what it normally does, but the brakes do still work effectively. Just started the day before yesterday, no lights on the dash, just weird pedal feel. I thought master cylinder, someone said maybe the accumulator+pump rather than the whole assembly. Any insights?

Other issue is when I go to back into my sloped driveway, I get a loud grinding/binding noise. If I turn the wheel it goes away until it gets to about the same point in the opposite direction. My guess is intermediate shaft?

Looking to get both problems solved here soon. I intend to drive this thing for at least another ten years. She's got 161k, just getting broken in!

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[rdruss]

I have'nt experienced your brake problem (yet!), but there is a lot of discussion on here about it. I have replaced my intermediate steering shaft (pain!) and it cured my problem of stiff feeling when turning, made no noise however. You may have something else going on.
I would do a close brake inspection and see if anything obvious; intermittent caliper seizure, or whatever. Keep us posted.

 

[montijo505]

I have'nt experienced your brake problem (yet!), but there is a lot of discussion on here about it. I have replaced my intermediate steering shaft (pain!) and it cured my problem of stiff feeling when turning, made no noise however. You may have something else going on.

I would do a close brake inspection and see if anything obvious; intermittent caliper seizure, or whatever. Keep us posted.

I hadn't noticed, or maybe it just started with the noise, but the steering does have a stiff point when turning in both directions.

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[MikeinNH67]

I also had the binding and replaced my steering shaft, one of the tougher jobs on this vehicle. If you lift the front tires and it still binds when turning then that is the issue. You can dowse it with penetrant to make it better for a while until you replace it. I used an inexpensive e-bay part and it's still fine.

 

[montijo505]

I noticed today when the pedal sinks, if I let it out and press again it's back to normal.

I've tried searching but seems much less common on 4th gens I can't find much. Lots more frequent in the third gen. Ends up in a replaced master cylinder.
[MENTION=66389]BlackWorksInc[/MENTION] if you still exist on here, any insight? Lol

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[Bluesky 07]

When is the last time the brakes were bled?

 

[montijo505]

When is the last time the brakes were bled?

December 2019 when I installed ss lines, all 6 lines. I bled a lot of fluid to flush the whole thing. Guess it can't hurt to do it over again. I read something about flushing the MC but can't find a link to the how to thread.

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[AuSeeker]

December 2019 when I installed ss lines, all 6 lines. I bled a lot of fluid to flush the whole thing. Guess it can't hurt to do it over again. I read something about flushing the MC but can't find a link to the how to thread.

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Typically when you bleed the brakes the master cylinder doesn't need to be bled because the master cylinder will have new fluid passing all through it as you bleed the calipers/brake lines, the only place that might not get new fluid is in the ABS system since it's doesn't operate under normal braking conditions, only when the ABS system activates under severe braking.

 

[Seymore Butts]

If you don't have any brake fluid leaks and your brake pads are not worn out, and your new brake lines are not oversized, then what you describe is the classic set of symptoms indicating master cylinder failure.

 

[montijo505]

If you don't have any brake fluid leaks and your brake pads are not worn out, and your new brake lines are not oversized, then what you describe is the classic set of symptoms indicating master cylinder failure.

Figured as much. My steering issue seems to be a CV axle. It has become rotational when turning to the right, coming from driver side. Loud clacking/banging noise. I have a spare I’ll swap in tomorrow and see if it was that. I think the front needs to come down, cranked too high pretty sure. Been eating up boots since I installed this Icon lift.


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[gimlithepirate]

Figured as much. My steering issue seems to be a CV axle. It has become rotational when turning to the right, coming from driver side. Loud clacking/banging noise. I have a spare I’ll swap in tomorrow and see if it was that. I think the front needs to come down, cranked too high pretty sure. Been eating up boots since I installed this Icon lift.


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OEM or Aftermarket CVs? The grinding sounds like my CVs did with the crappy chinesium ones the previous owner put on.

On the break issue, it's certainly something to do with the master cylinder. Either a leak, or the break booster. Either way not a fun replacement.

 

[montijo505]

OEM or Aftermarket CVs? The grinding sounds like my CVs did with the crappy chinesium ones the previous owner put on.

On the break issue, it's certainly something to do with the master cylinder. Either a leak, or the break booster. Either way not a fun replacement.

CVs are CVJ remans, so OEM. I remember seeing a post about a loud thunking when turning and sounded like what I have. If I remember correctly the guy said something was hitting his drive shaft. Gonna inspect today before tearing out the CV.


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[montijo505]

Holy crap dudes and dudettes!!!!!

I finally had time to do a diagnosis, scared shitless now lol. Only weird thing before tear down was a missing cv axle clamp. No biggie.

Next I noticed on the passenger side rotor there was wear marks. More concerning and maybe why the brakes have been weird.

Pads have same wear marks. Ok that adds up. Caliper seems to have made contact with the rotor in two spots, hard to get pictures but you see where I mean. I’m thinking stuck piston, only a matter of time (161k miles).

Then I look down and two of four wheel bearing assemble bolts, the ones that hold it to the spindle, are completely backed out!!!

Only thing holding them in was that they CANT fall out, no room. The clunking was the lug studs wacking the backed out bolt heads. Must not have tightened them enough when I gusseted the spindles, holy moly! Thankfully no harm to any other components that I can see.

Local stealership has pads and rotors I’m gonna grab on the way home from picking up the wife from work. Will update if this fixes everything. Might replace that bearing, don’t know how long it was loose, but I’ll have to order it.


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[montijo505]

Fixed!

Tightened down the bearing to spindle bolts. Gave it the beans this time. 24mm huge wrench on the 17mm wrench (double wrench method). I’ll check it again in a hundred miles or so to make sure it’s staying tight. Replaced the brakes and pads, sad since the ruined ones were less than a year old. Glad I went OEM this time though, slotted/drilled rotors didn’t have me convinced for off-road activities.

Brakes are back to awesome after bedding the new pads/rotors! Apparently when the bearing would shift, the caliper was only catching the rotor on the inside and pushing it in to the opposite (outside) side of the caliper. So the caliper ruined the rotor and the rotor ruined the pad. This explains why the pedal was only soft sometimes. Sometimes it would align and work fine and sometimes it would not. Glad it was an easy and relatively inexpensive fix.







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[BlackWorksInc]

Apologies on the delayed response. Glad to hear you figured it out.

Was the Axle nut tight on that bearing assembly? I would be a little concerned about the bearing's integrity after being wobbly like that (though it might be okay if the axle nut was tight, might have shortened the life of the bearing; hard to say without being there honestly.)

I would also caution against over tightening the bearing bolts, they're only supposed to be torqued to something like 59~60ft.lbs. Though probably 70-80ftlbs wouldn't hurt them (at least that's how tight they seem when I usually end up replacing them after someone's done one before lol.)

Keep an eye on the assembly, the bolts may have have been damaged/worn with it being that loose like that, again, it's hard to say without being there. But sounds like you have everything under control.

 

[montijo505]

Apologies on the delayed response. Glad to hear you figured it out.

Was the Axle nut tight on that bearing assembly? I would be a little concerned about the bearing's integrity after being wobbly like that (though it might be okay if the axle nut was tight, might have shortened the life of the bearing; hard to say without being there honestly.)

I would also caution against over tightening the bearing bolts, they're only supposed to be torqued to something like 59~60ft.lbs. Though probably 70-80ftlbs wouldn't hurt them (at least that's how tight they seem when I usually end up replacing them after someone's done one before lol.)

Keep an eye on the assembly, the bolts may have have been damaged/worn with it being that loose like that, again, it's hard to say without being there. But sounds like you have everything under control.

It was tight, still has the slotted castle nut thing and a cotter pin. I think I may have just not tightened them down all the way because I was in a rush. I’ll always triple check from now on. I’ll keep an eye on the bearing and replace them both of that one starts humming. Thanks!


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