Brakes Suck

Jeep Tech
1

So… after the 8.8 I’ve got a soft pedal and the brake warning light is on. When I disconnect the sensor from the proportioning valve it goes off. I’m assuming that I’ve got air in the proportioning valve… I’ve bled the brakes by hand, and last night got a loaner vacuum bleeder from Advanced and still can’t get the pedal to firm up… there’s a bleeder on the front of the proportioning valve but I’m a little hesitant since it’s pretty corroded.

Any thoughts? It’s soft, but I can lock up both front wheels (33" Swampers) on dry pavement, so the stopping power is there, just all the way at the floor.

2

Maybe the master cylinder does not have the capacity needed for the rear disc’s? Billavista has a good brake write-up on Pirate4x4.

3

I may be an idiot and put them on backwards - bleeder valve on bottom half of cylinder trapping air in the top… I’ll check after work, but I think the bleeder is below the brake line…DOH.

4

Yup… bleeders must go up, hoses down… I’m officially an idiot. 45 minutes to swap calipers, re-bleed, and back on the road - full stoppage this time. :unamused:

5

no worries, i think many of us have been in the same type of situation… glad its all straightened out

6

Just a quick note that brakes with a proportioning valve must be bled with wheels on the ground, didnt know if you had done them that way or not, but glad you got them working ok

7

glad ya got it fixed, before someone got hurt

8

I’ve never heard of that… I have always bleed brakes either on jack stands or on the lift and have never had any problems. Actually I don’t know anyone that bleeds brakes with the tires on the ground, to much of a PITA on the ground.

9

x2 i have never bled brakes on the ground either

10

If you have trouble bleeding them then the rear suspension should have weight on it, jack stands are fine if under rear suspension :wink:

11

Nope, never had a problem bleeding them. I always start at the furthest point from the master cylinder and work my way to the closest point.

I can see the being on the ground being a requirement with some pickup trucks like the toyota’s that have the proportioning valve linked to the rear suspension. That allows the rear brake to brake harder with the more weight you have in the bed. The less weight you have, the less the rear brake works.

12

not only trucks but alot of Vw’s have that along with others sedans

13

So, in my latest fiasco… since I seem to like installing things backwards - I managed to get the carrier shims switched when the whole thing fell out and didn’t realize it until I had the locker in (so tight I couldn’t rotate the axle shafts with a tire on).

Installing the Aussie took 1.5 hours. Not bad! However, taking it back out took another 2, and re-installing it was 45 minutes. :unamused:

Good news is that everything is within tolerance and it works perfectly (somewhat annoying and will take getting used to, but perfect). Makes me smile to hear it ratcheting around a corner. :mrgreen:

14

:sunglasses: