[Shotimes] Brake Booster R&R Tips Wanted

[Carl Prochilo]

The hardest part of any of this is the diagnosis.  Duh!  I'm always mad at
myself when I blindly replace parts out of frustration, but sometimes
process of elimination is the easiest path to take.

My recent e-brake experience was rather simple to diagnose in the
following sense.  When I engaged the e-brake, the car would be held by the
brake.  When I released the brake, the car would move but have a little
resistance. But what gave it away was a drooping cable under the left side
of the car.  Somewhere along the way something must have snagged the
sheathing on the left rear cable and bent it at a 90 degree angle.  There
were other signs of some type of damage like the ABS cable eventually
failed.  I never knew what it was.  I decided I prefer having a functional
e-brake so I spent the few hundred dollars to get it fixed.

Other reasons I can think of include: slider pins frozen, and rear cable
lines.  Never had a problem with the brake booster, so hope you haven't
jinxed me!!!

A final anecdote.  A friend of mine here hails from central Michigan.  The
story goes that a lot of people will simply cut their e-brake cables off
of their new cars because within six months of ownership they will get
stranded somewhere because their e-brake cable gets stuck on.
-- 
Cheers,
Carl Prochilo
1992 Ultra Red Crimson

Ken Johnson said:
> Not sure if I have adequately ruled out the stuck e-brake cable.  I guess
> I
> am going on my past experience and replacing the brake booster seemed to
> fix
> this problem.  In addition, the fact that my brake pedal does not seem to
> snap back up also tells me it is the brake booster not a stuck cable.
>
> Having said this, since I am having trouble finding a new brake booster
> for
> under $300.00, it might be worth changing the cable since I am assuming
> that
> the parts for that job are a lot less and even if the cable is not giving
> me
> a problem now I am sure it is only a matter of time before it does.  I
> have
> seen the stuck e-brake suggested many times on the list but never seen a
> list of parts that are replaced....is it just the cable that gets replaced
> ?
>
> Thanks,
> Ken
> '95 MTX Daily Driver
> '91 Mocha Winter Beater
> '91 Jewel Green Parts Car
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Carl Prochilo" <gr8sho@prochilo.myserver.org>
> To: "Ken Johnson" <kdjsho@comcast.net>
> Cc: <shotimes@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 9:20 PM
> Subject: Re: [Shotimes] Brake Booster R&R Tips Wanted
>
>
>> Have you ruled out other things like a sticking e-brake cable?
>> --
>> Cheers,
>> Carl Prochilo
>> 1992 Ultra Red Crimson
>>
>> Ken Johnson said:
>> > My rear brakes are dragging.  Seems to be the same problem I had with
>> my
>> > '91
>> > at about the same milage.  When the engine compartment gets hot the
>> rear
>> > brakes start to drag.  I can notice it at stops because the car does
>> not
>> > roll to a stop it sticks ever so slightly.  I also get much more brake
>> > dust
>> > on my rear rims than on my fronts.
>> >
>> > So not sure if the members of this list told me about what was
>> happening
>> > or
>> > if it was the dealer (probably was the list).  When the brake booster
>> > heats
>> > up a spring in the booster starts to loose its rate and it keeps the
> brake
>> > pedal from returning all the way to the top which results in some
>> > hydraulic
>> > pressure remaining in the rear brake circuit. Sometimes I actually
>> lift
>> > the
>> > pedal up with my foot after I come to a stop if I feel the brakes
>> > dragging.
>> > The dealer replace the booster (part was $301, P/N F4DZ2005A) and the
>> > problem was fixed.
>> > ***Someone....anyone feel free to correct me if this is not what is
> really
>> > going **
>> >
>> > I have been having this problem for some time now on my '95.  I found
>> a
>> > stuck rear caliper last spring and thought that was the culprit, but
> after
>> > I
>> > put on new pads, calipers and rotors all the way around (including the
> '96
>> > upgrade for the fronts) the problem did not go away.
>> >
>> > So this was going to be my next move (once I got concurrance with the
>> > list).
>> > However I have not bought the booster yet and got a quote of $460 for
> just
>> > the booster from my Ford Dealer and Lou Fusz Ford was not much better.
>> > Someone said they got the booster and the master cylinder for $160...I
>> > would
>> > love to know where they got that deal.
>> >
>> > Ken
>> > '95 Blue MTX
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Kevin & Cheryl Airth" <clubairth@peoplepc.com>
>> > To: "Ken Johnson" <kdjsho@comcast.net>; <shotimes@autox.team.net>
>> > Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 1:04 PM
>> > Subject: Re: [Shotimes] Brake Booster R&R Tips Wanted
>> >
>> >
>> >> Ken:
>> >>  The master cylinder is pretty expensive about $180 and up. Can I ask
>> >> why
>> >> you are replacing the booster? I am still looking for the cause of a
>> >> metal
>> >> can sounding click when the brake pedal is depressed all the way.
> Sounds
>> >> like spring steel popping back and fourth. I replaced the master
>> >> cylinder
>> >> with no change in the sound. The car seems to have a soft long pedal.
>> > Brake
>> >> fluid flushed and system bleed many times. Including a trip to the
>> >> dealer
>> > to
>> >> bleed the ABS HCU. I am suspicious of the booster but not sure? Could
>> >> you
>> >> let the list know what you paid and where you found it?
>> >> Thanks!
>> >> .
>> >> .
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> > Anybody got any tips on R&R the brake booster on my '95 MTX.  Have
> the
>> >> Helm
>> >> > manual and seems pretty straight forward, are there any surprises I
>> > should
>> >> be
>> >> > prepared for ?
>> >> >
>> >> > Was not planning on replacing the master cylinder unless it is a
> cheap
>> >> part.
>> >> >
>> >> > Thanks,
>> >> > Ken
>> >> > '95 Blue MTX - Daily Dirver
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