So I got a 1991 Intercooled Cummins 2WD truck. What a beauty. 150K on the clock and a nice tight auto. Only problem is that I have almost no brakes.

Right front caliper will freeze from time to time and start smoking. Booster looks like its seem better days. Pedal goes to the floor.

So I bought new calipers and pads, and a new master cylinder. About to order a booster. Anything special about bleeding this setup? I know on some trucks there is a shuttle valve (my Comanche has one). Any tips for getting my brakes back? ABS and BRAKE lights are on.

 

try adjusting the rear brakes ive heard they controll your pedal height it helped mine some my adjusters were froze up i had to take mt drums of to free them up hope this helps with the peal going to the floor

 

I think the passenger drum was locking up because the master cylinder is so bad. Or could it be something else? Basically it locked and then driving a bit unlocked it right up with a "CLANG." I don't know if a bad master cylinder or booster can cause so many problems other than just not having good brakes but I am hoping that a master cylinder and booster change will fix me up. This trucks bleed like a normal vehicle right? I don't have to bleed with the front drive caliper left open right?

 

Sounds like the same story I had with my 89 4x4 when I got it. New calipers, wheel cylinders, master, rubber lines for good measure, fabricated some of the metal lines. I bled it out like any other system I've worked on. One of my vacuum pumps is bad so I have slow recovery time on the power assist. The intercooled trucks had a different style pump, you shouldn't have to worry about that.

 

check your calipers in the front first. take a little flat piece of metal or a old brake pad and put it up against the plunger on the caliper. then take a big C-clamp and try and push the plunger back in. if it doesnt or you are haveing a really hard time, then bleed it out and if that dont work then you need a new one i'd say. you may need new proportion valves as well if things keep looking up. or see if you can free them up and make them work right again. If the abs light and the parking brake light are both on then thats a good sign they arent workin right. you also might need the new "T" block in the front that splits off the lines to left in right but its probly unlikely. ive had my fair share of brake problems. it sucks. hope this helps.

 

Ok I'll hopefully have the calipers on tonight. Then I am just waiting on booster to get here so I can put in the master. I wish people would maintain their vehicles so it wouldnt get to this extent

 

ya it sucks when people dont. but the way i see it i cant expect to much with stuff like that on a 20+ year old truck.

 

Rusty,

You're right. I got the calipers on! Now I am just waiting on the booster to get here so I can pop that and the master cylinder on and get her bled out! I just hope I don't have to dig into that Dana 70's brakes or do any line work. They all look clean but I won't know until I get a good bleed and ride.

Larry

 

check your e cable, it runs over top of the exhaust and can cause the rear brakes to lock up because your cables wont release, I had that happen to me, replaced the e cable and no more lock ups in the rear.

make sure you bench bleed the master.

 

Thats a good tip! I didn't think that the cable could be causing any troubles!

I will definitely bench bleed the master...the worst job in automotive history to me.