I've got a red brake and yellow antilock light that I

[Brian]

I've been working on this problem all winter. It seems to me the rear shoes are not engaging. The rear will lock up on hard pedal. I drive on mostly dirt roads and ice and snow in the winter. Most of the time when I stop on ice I slide side ways. I have replaced the front rotors and calibers and installed metalic pads. I get about 20,000 miles out of the organic pads. I have bleed the rear brakes and they bleed good, so it seems to me the master cylinder is good. If the antilock light is on does that mean the brakes are biased to the fronts? The red brake light must mean some thing?I checked for loose wiring connections. I have to put in a new fuel tank and I want to get this brake problem fixed. Thanks Brian

P.S. I'm glad this site is feeling better, I hate it when it's down.

 

[BRONCFOOT]

I've been working on this problem all winter. It seems to me the rear shoes are not engaging. The rear will lock up on hard pedal. I drive on mostly dirt roads and ice and snow in the winter. Most of the time when I stop on ice I slide side ways. I have replaced the front rotors and calibers and installed metalic pads. I get about 20,000 miles out of the organic pads. I have bleed the rear brakes and they bleed good, so it seems to me the master cylinder is good. If the antilock light is on does that mean the brakes are biased to the fronts? The red brake light must mean some thing?I checked for loose wiring connections. I have to put in a new fuel tank and I want to get this brake problem fixed. Thanks Brian

P.S. I'm glad this site is feeling better, I hate it when it's down.

Your red light(if I remember right) means you still have a hydraulic problem in the system,leaking caliper,m/c, air,etc. The Haynes manual has info on pulling the ABS codes and their meaning.

 

[Brian]

So maybe the master is bad??? Thanks Brian

 

[ocalabronco]

not necesarily. your best bet is to check for codes. anytime a dummy light comes on, it will throw a code.

 

[Brian]

OK, I'll check it out. Thanks Brian

 

[snowman74]

It's been a while since I've been on here...and I missed talking to everybody. I had some computer problems...and the Bronco comes before the computer as far as money is concerned.

If I understand your situation correctly, perhaps my experience will help...because I had the same problem. I had replaced the front pads. Somehow...some way some water got into the brake system. Maybe there was some water in the brake fluid I was pouring in. Anyway, I bought two big bottles of fluid, got a big catch pan, and basically just did a brake fluid transfusion. I did get extra air and water out of the system. And as we all know, water does not compress. I bled all four brakes to do this.

Sometimes my anti lock light comes on. I checked the resevoir and it needed fluid. Then I found the leak, right at the base of the resevoir. So about $20 later, a new resevoir and seals, new fluid...no problems.

As far as the emergency brake light...it is common, especially in 9 or 10 year old or older Broncos for the light to stay on even after you've released the brake. I don't know why. I have found that to get the light to go off I press down all the way on the brake and QUICKLY pull the handle and let it go. There's probably something loose down there...but I haven't had the inclination to check. I've got bigger problems. Please see my request for help on a new topic.

Thanks ya'll. >- Snowman

 

[bidibronco]

I'm not sure if it would matter or throw codes but I do believe that ABS is done with magnetic sensors or something along thoes lines. Furthermore, the magnets catch dabris off the road and do funny things to the ABS side of things. Maybe if you just clean off the magnets something may be fixed. :huh:

 

[Brian]

Hey BidiBronco, isn't the ABS sensor inside the rear housing? I thought it might be a loose wire,no go.I haven't been under my Bronco in a week.

Hey Snowman, It snowed here today. I have to install a new fuel tank when it dries up, so I'll work on the brakes again then. Thanks for the replys. Brian

 

[Truck]

My brakes were like that when I bought my 88 Fullsize. I added fluid every week for about 8 months. THEN my right-rear ***** cylinder blew apart, and after $150 in parts, and a day rebuilding it, it cleared up!

(The short answer is to check your ***** cyls.)

 

[snowman74]

I know it's a little more expensive...but...

When you replace the fuel tank, go ahead and replace the fuel pump/sender unit AND in order to prevent rusting from the hanger straps/tank contact: Cut some 1/8" or so rubber, like a thin rubber floormat or benchmat. Make sure to cut strips as long as the hanger straps. Cut them just a little wider than the hanger straps. Put the rubber between the tank and hangers. Bolt 'er up and forget about rust problems. I wouldn't use a plastic tank...but if you do, this isn't necessary.

For your brakes... Check around the wheel cylinders and check the rubber lines for leakage. Check around the master cylinder and booster for leaks. Other than that, I still say you've got some more bleeding to do; and it's a two man job...forget those kits. However the upside is, your buddy just has to sit on his ass, so talking him into it shouldn't be a problem.

Snowman >-

 

[Brian]

Hey Snowman, I was going to buy plastic and a new pump/ sender. Why do you say metal? In Jeff's their both the same price. I just thought plastic was better? Let me know before I order this thing. There is no leaks in my brakes, but I think I'll take the advice and bleed them again. Thanks Brian

 

[snowman74]

Anybody feel free to argue with me on this, but here are my feelings on plastic vs. metal tanks.

First, your pump and sender unit will seal up nice and tight on a metal tank. As will the filler tube. I tend to over-tighten things, and I just know I would break plastic. Second, if you've ever left a plastic gas tank, like for your lawnmower, outside or in a shed, they tend to get water in them. They are more pourous than metal. Third, I just think the metal ones are stronger. They can take a dent. Plastic, by nature, tends to crack. I'm just of the opinion metal is stronger, safer (in case of a wreck or rollover) and would last longer.

If anybody else has a differing view, I'm open to hear it. I've had to make this decision before, and those were the determining factors for me. Hope this helps.

Snowman >-

 

[BroncoXLT85]

Not to be **** and disagree with you snowman, but I feel the opposite with plastic tanks. I had a metal tank and when I dented it,(it was even on dirt,hard dirt,but still dirt) it broke and started leaking. Now that could've been do to rust, another reason why plastic tanks are better. (in my opinion) I think the ultimate combo for strength and longitivety would be a plastic tank with a nice H.D. metal skid plate. Just my opinion

Oh ya, It takes a real lot to crack a plastic tank too. I've banged the one my Jeep very ******* rocks and all, and it still never cracked.

 

[404PageNotFound]

check your wheel cylinders, and then also check your master cyl also.

 

[Brian]

Hey 404, I blew a rear brake line today. When I went to disconect it I found the ABS gizmo. It's on the frame under the master cylinder. The gizmo has a rear brake line in from the master, one brake line out to the rear brakes.It has a bleeder on it and a 2 wire plug. I just found this so I have never bleed it. I will install the new brake line tommorow. It makes sense to me that if the yellow ABS light is on then the rear brakes are bias to off, which I feel like has been my problem. Thanks Brian

 

[Brian]

Well I bleed the rear brakes as well as the ABS gizmo. Still got the red brake light and the yellow ABS light. But I now got working rear brakes so I'm putting black tape over the lights. Brian

 

[snowman74]

Not to be **** and disagree with you snowman, but I feel the opposite with plastic tanks. I had a metal tank and when I dented it,(it was even on dirt,hard dirt,but still dirt) it broke and started leaking. Now that could've been do to rust, another reason why plastic tanks are better. (in my opinion) I think the ultimate combo for strength and longitivety would be a plastic tank with a nice H.D. metal skid plate. Just my opinion

Oh ya, It takes a real lot to crack a plastic tank too. I've banged the one my Jeep very ******* rocks and all, and it still never cracked.

Hey, that's why there's chocolate and vanilla, right? I must admit, after 17 years, my metal gas tank had a leak and I had to replace it. Also, I've never run plastic...so I don't know for certain how it would last. My opinion was based on portable gas cans. I might look into a plastic tank on the Bronco in the future...I've just always been partial to steel. I have always had a good skid plate under my tank though...and fortunately I haven't hit anything too hard.

As for the red brake light...I figured out what caused mine to stay on. The spring on the emergency brake wears out over time. Imagine that. If I pull up on the emergency brake just a little bit, the light goes off. You might check that out. I just found this out the other night when I was futzing around with the emergency pedal. It's always the simple sh*t that I forget to check first.

Snowman >-