Topic: Yet ANOTHER big scare!

[jfrabat]

As if the hood coming open a few years ago, and then a wheel coming loose a few months ago was not enough to fill my quota of Jeep scares, I have a new story to tell...

I changed my brake booster (and master, and calipers, and drums, and rotors, and pads!) some months ago to try to improve my braking, but to no avail.  So today, I am doing some hard braking tests, then decide to drive to the office on the Jeep.  I was checking for fuel leakage, so I took the long route, which includes going up a hill, turning around, and coming back down.  On the turn, I notice the pedal feels a bit weird, but the Jeep is still braking like before (which is to say, it stops, but not great).  As I am coming down the hill, the pedal starts feeling more and more mushy, and as I get to the office, the pedal goes all the way to the floor and there is NO BRAKES AT ALL!!!  Luckily, at that time, I am already driving under 10mph, so I use the emergency brake to stop (no easy feat, considering I basically have to open the door to reach the e-brake pedal; I certainly miss hand brakes!!!!).  I had to run up a curve and use a small mound on the office to stop, but I managed to get the Jeep stopped without incident.

Anyway, I get the Jeep into the parking lot (using the e-brake to stop), and check the pedal.  Lo and behold, the rod that goes from the pedal to the boster BROKE!  I mean, it snapped in 2!!!  WHAT THE HELL???  This is not the stock one, ut one that has a thread to adjust the pedal, and I guess it just was not strong enough...

To top everything up, I called the stealership, and they cannot bring the pedal even with special order!  Now I am calling a couple of parts stores to see what I can come up with, but so far, no luck.  One of them told me they can even fix boosters, but not the rods.  Just my luck, I guess!  Now I am looking for used ones with the help of the president of the local 4X4 club, as I am going with his daughter and her husband on a wheeling trip on Saturday (if I get this fixed, that is!), so hopefully I'll have that taken care of in time...

Anyway, I wanted to share this with you all.  I am just happy that (1) the brakes did not give up coming down the hill, and that (2) they broke BEFORE I went on the trail (it would have been interesting to say the least to try to finish a trail with no brakes!).

[Jeffy]

You mean the rod coming from the booster to the pedal broke?  If that's the case you can have the rod welded back together.  Might want to sleeve it too.

This thing right?

[TrailsLessTaken]

That sucks, hope you can get it fixed by this weekend

[neale_rs]

I'm glad you are OK.  That is about the worst kind of breakdown to have.

[jfrabat]

You mean the rod coming from the booster to the pedal broke?  If that's the case you can have the rod welded back together.  Might want to sleeve it too.

This thing right?

Yup, that's the one.  But the break is really tight to the part that screwes to adjust the brake pedal (that thread was only on the aftermarket model; the stocker did not have any thread).

So you think having it welded back together will be strong enough?  It looks a bit bent...  I'll try to post a picture in the next few monutes.

I'm glad you are OK.  That is about the worst kind of breakdown to have.

Yeah, I agree; a Jeep that wont run is bad, but a Jeep that wont stop...  Well, that's a whole otehr problem.

[jfrabat]

Here are the pics:





And zooming in (same pics) to the affected area:





I located a '95 brake booster (dont know if it's the dual diaphragm or not) for around $170 (used, not new).  I can have it tomorrow morning, which would give me tomorrow night to install it (I can get this one off tonight), so I think I'll go with that one (I am hoping the boosters are interchangeable; if anyone knows any better, please let me know!!!)

[sharpxmen]

i think the MC from the dual diaphragm does not fit the single (there's a spacing issue i believe) but i'm not sure - do you currently have a dual on?

[Jeffy]

Here are the pics:

I located a '95 brake booster (dont know if it's the dual diaphragm or not) for around $170 (used, not new).  I can have it tomorrow morning, which would give me tomorrow night to install it (I can get this one off tonight), so I think I'll go with that one (I am hoping the boosters are interchangeable; if anyone knows any better, please let me know!!!)

My guess was that the booster might not have been adjusted right and you tried applying the brakes when teh arm was bottomed out which caused it to bend and then break.

A '95 will be a dual-diaphragm booster but would work fine.  In fact, it's a better booster but $170 is expensive for it used.  Then again, it's not like you can just go into a store and pick one up.

I think you could fix the old one by cutting off the bent part and using all thread.  I'd probably try to sleeve it for strength as the threaded area is the weak spot.

[jfrabat]

Well, I plan to fix the old on and get the new (used) one.  As for the price, is either pay that or order over the web (which means paying overseas shipping plu 41% of import duties plus 13% sales tax over the total, so that will not be cheap either!).

If the used one I'm getting works, it will stay on; if not, I've asked my wife to try to get the old one (which I took out tonight) fixed with allthread.  I'll ask her to sleve it just in case...

My guess was that the booster might not have been adjusted right and you tried applying the brakes when teh arm was bottomed out which caused it to bend and then break.

That makes sense...  And that could be why my brakes were not biting as I would like them to.  I had a very stern talk to the mechanic that put it in and told him what I think of his work...  unfortunatelly, that would be the same mechanic that took it out today (that being me), so not much I can do except kick myself on the arse!

[TrailsLessTaken]

Sounds like its time for another mechanic    Hopefully you can get it fixed pretty easily

[oldjeep]

Sounds like its time for another mechanic    Hopefully you can get it fixed pretty easily

It's possible...  Unfortunately, that someone would be me.

Sounds like its time for another mechanic    Hopefully you can get it fixed pretty easily

Yeah, you're probably right...  But this is the cheapest mechanic available! 

I already sent the office messenger to pick up the '95 booster (it's good to be the boss!), and I will get my current booster fixed at lunch, as a backup plan.  I really dont want to miss the oportunity to go wheeling tomorrow (even if it DOES involve waking up at 4:30AM so that we can be back before the babysitter leaves at 2:00PM!).

[YJmechanic]

u sure the booster itself is working porperly? and or you have enough vacuum pressure to run it?  seems like you have a problem in the system and the rod snapped from being pressured by the existing problem

[jfrabat]

It's possible...  Unfortunately, that someone would be me.

Yeah, you're probably right...  But this is the cheapest mechanic available! 

I already sent the office messenger to pick up the '95 booster (it's good to be the boss!), and I will get my current booster fixed at lunch, as a backup plan.  I really dont want to miss the oportunity to go wheeling tomorrow (even if it DOES involve waking up at 4:30AM so that we can be back before the babysitter leaves at 2:00PM!).

I wrote that; yet it's showing it as if OldJeep wrote it...  WTF?

u sure the booster itself is working porperly? and or you have enough vacuum pressure to run it?  seems like you have a problem in the system and the rod snapped from being pressured by the existing problem

The booster IS working, and I do have enough pressure and I even roun a big vacuum reservoir for the booster (I thought lack of vacuum was the reason I did not have enough stopping power, so I installed some time back and never took it out; always figured it could not hurt).

In any case, I got the '95 booster, and it IS slightly different (bigger, and the rod coming out to the master is a different length), so I'll keep it and work on getting it installed later on.  For now, I welded a bolt (grade 9!) to the old booster, and will install it for the time being.  Hopefully, it will be enough for tomorrow's trip!

[sharpxmen]

I wrote that; yet it's showing it as if OldJeep wrote it...  WTF?

that's because you edited oldjeep's post where he said the locking nut was overtightened - i did that once trying to click on "quote" and instead i hit modify

In any case, I got the '95 booster, and it IS slightly different (bigger, and the rod coming out to the master is a different length), so I'll keep it and work on getting it installed later on.  For now, I welded a bolt (grade 9!) to the old booster, and will install it for the time being.  Hopefully, it will be enough for tomorrow's trip!

most likely is a 95.5 one which is a dual diaphragm, but i think the rod length should be the same
does it look like this:

[jfrabat]

Yup, that's the one (and it's the one I wanted because of the dual diaphragm).  The rod I am talking about now is not the one that goes to the pedal, but rather the one that goes to the master.  I also noticed that the tip of that rod is actually a screw-on tip, and they are interchangeable, so I can use the longer tip of the old booster.  

Also, the '95.5 one did not come with the spacer; I guess i can use the old one, but the bolt holes are about one size too small (easily fixed with a drill).  I also need to check if the booster will fit or if it will cause the master to hit the stock airbox, and if it does, I'll need to find a fix for this as well.

I guess I can try it later on (after this weekend's trip) to try and make it fit, but to do it, I also need the stock attachment of the vacuum hose to the booster (the one I have as some odd size plug that is bigger than the hole in the metal of the '95.5 booster), so I'll use the old one that I fixed for tomorrow, and keep the 95.5 one to put on later on (in the hopes that it will improve my braking on the road).