Got to gig on 10% brakes...

unbasslichkeit · #1 05-24-2009, 04:36 PM

Scary story:

Friday night on the way to the Elks in Rockville MD: the following things happened to my personal vehicle (93 Ford Explorer SUV 2wd) in relatively quick sequence. Bear in mind that I am in pretty heavy Friday afternoon traffic with no real place to pull off.

First: ABS light goes on- I hope its just the sensor acting up but

Second: few miles later, serious drag on acceleration (rear wheel drive)

Third: at the light: what looks like smoke from under left front wheel well in the area of the master cylinder

Fourth: some very nasty grinding and popping noises as I move forward from a standing start

Finally, almost complete loss of braking power - I had mechanical / backup brakes but very little else.

Anyway, by now I'm practically at the Elks Lodge so I make the turnoff, proceeding very slowly, with 4 ways on, stomping the brake pedal into the floor to reduce speed where needed. Somehow (still not sure how!) I got to the parking lot, in a legal space.

Shut it down, went in and played the gig. Came out at 11:30, called AAA, got the vehicle towed to to shop where I expect to be facing a repair bill of some kind.

I hope my karma account is not overdrawn yet.

stevetx19 · #2 05-24-2009, 04:56 PM

a '93 explorer, eh? you're lucky its kept you going so long; i've had more problems with my '99 mercury.
I hope it doesn't cost you too much.

sobie18 · #3 05-24-2009, 04:59 PM

Awesome. I had a similar problem on a used vehicle I bought on a Thursday and by Saturday night, the right rear brake cylinder took a dump.

Luckily Firestone was open on Sunday and I brought them new brake cylinders, shoes, and drums for BOTH sides. Didn't cost too much and solved any suspect braking problems.

popinfresh · #4 05-24-2009, 05:20 PM

Ah ya big girl, it's just like driving a non powered all drum brakes car

Kenbuntu · #5 05-24-2009, 05:25 PM

Big deal, I bike to school every day with no brakes. I go down the freeway with my brake pads deliberately broken. When i have to stop, I don't, I just turn and make it through the light. Back in my old country, we learned to to right by turning left at the age of 9. By the age of 10 i was able to make turns going 70 MPH. Before i was confirmed i was a full fledged, beast ass, professional, driver.

Yeah, I would have just use the e-brake...but im not sure if those fail if the brakes fail? (which would be awfully stupid if they did )

unbasslichkeit · #6 05-24-2009, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevetx19

a '93 explorer, eh? you're lucky its kept you going so long; i've had more problems with my '99 mercury.
I hope it doesn't cost you too much.

Thing about this car is that it was an inheritance from my Mom, who bought it new and never drove it much. When I got it there was 54K original on the clock. From the service records I got she'd maintained it well but I figured there would be something in there which had never been done before. Original parts, 16 years...do the math.

Mike N · #7 05-24-2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unbasslichkeit

Scary story:

Friday night on the way to the Elks in Rockville MD: the following things happened to my personal vehicle (93 Ford Explorer SUV 2wd) in relatively quick sequence. Bear in mind that I am in pretty heavy Friday afternoon traffic with no real place to pull off.

First: ABS light goes on- I hope its just the sensor acting up but

Second: few miles later, serious drag on acceleration (rear wheel drive)

Third: at the light: what looks like smoke from under left front wheel well in the area of the master cylinder

Fourth: some very nasty grinding and popping noises as I move forward from a standing start

Finally, almost complete loss of braking power - I had mechanical / backup brakes but very little else.

Anyway, by now I'm practically at the Elks Lodge so I make the turnoff, proceeding very slowly, with 4 ways on, stomping the brake pedal into the floor to reduce speed where needed. Somehow (still not sure how!) I got to the parking lot, in a legal space.

Shut it down, went in and played the gig. Came out at 11:30, called AAA, got the vehicle towed to to shop where I expect to be facing a repair bill of some kind.

I hope my karma account is not overdrawn yet.

I'll take a guess that your left front wheel bearings took a dump.

warwick.hoy · #8 05-24-2009, 08:13 PM

Sounds like you a set of Firestone Wilderness ATs away from dead.

popinfresh · #9 05-24-2009, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike N

I'll take a guess that your left front wheel bearings took a dump.

Why would he losing braking if it's bearings?

I don't touch newer cars so just wondering if anything is different. I've had bearings completely blow out on my XT and it still had brakes, just pulled heavy to one side.

machine gewehr · #10 05-25-2009, 08:08 AM

[Captain Obvious]

Sounds like your car has a brake problem.

[/Captain Obvious]

armywalaby · #11 05-25-2009, 10:10 AM

I managed to flip my car off the road recently to which we later found out was because of the bad brakes. My brother and I switched out my front brakes in about 45 minutes. We had the rotors too just in case but we ended up taking them back to the store.

XtreO · #12 05-25-2009, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by machine gewehr

[Captain Obvious]

Sounds like your car has a brake problem.

[/Captain Obvious]

Captain Oblivious answers thy call! Brake problem? There is no break problem? I see no problem.

Asa Samuel · #13 05-25-2009, 10:50 AM

A little OT but one thing I've always wondered, if your pedal brake fails (like if you're a secret agent and someone cuts your brake line

) can you still use your handbrake?

Spector_Ray · #14 05-25-2009, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asa Samuel

A little OT but one thing I've always wondered, if your pedal brake fails (like if you're a secret agent and someone cuts your brake line

) can you still use your handbrake?

Yes, unless the ninja cuts your e-brake cable too.

Mike N · #15 05-25-2009, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by popinfresh

Why would he losing braking if it's bearings?

I don't touch newer cars so just wondering if anything is different. I've had bearings completely blow out on my XT and it still had brakes, just pulled heavy to one side.

When front wheel bearings on a 2WD Exploder fail they cause the rotor to slop around. When this happens the caliper has to travel so far to try to catch up with the rotor, and the brake pedal has to be pressed nearly to the floor for this to happen.