5-6
BRAKES
DESCRIPTION ANDOPERATION (Continued)
drum.Oncetheprimaryshoecontactsthedrum,
forceisexertedthroughthestrut.Thisforceistrans-
ferredthroughthestruttothesecondarybrakeshoe
causingittopivotintothedrumaswell.
Ageartyperatchetingmechanismisusedtohold
theleverinanappliedposition.Parkingbrake
releaseisaccomplishedbythehandleverrelease
button.
Aparkingbrakeswitchismountedontheparking
brakeleverandisactuatedbymovementofthe
lever.Theswitch,whichisincircuitwiththered
warninglightinthedash,willilluminatethewarn-
inglightwhenevertheparkingbrakesareapplied.
BRAKEHOSESANDLINES
Flexiblerubberhoseisusedat'bothfrontbrakes
andattherearaxlejunctionblock.Doublewalled
steeltubingisusedtoconnectthemastercylinderto
themajorhydraulicbrakingcomponentsandthento
theflexiblerubberhoses.
DIAGNOSISANDTESTING
BASEBRAKESYSTEM
Basebrakecomponentsconsistofthebrakeshoes,
calipers,wheelcylinders,brakedrums,rotors,brake
lines,mastercylinder,booster,andparkingbrake
components.
Brakediagnosisinvolvesdeterminingiftheprob-
lemisrelatedtoamechanical,hydraulic,orvacuum
operatedcomponent.
Thefirstdiagnosisstepisthepreliminarycheck.
PRELIMINARYBRAKECHECK
(1)Checkconditionoftiresandwheels.Damaged
wheelsandworn,damaged,orunderinflatedtires
cancausepull,shudder,vibratioxi,andacondition
similartograb.
(2)Ifcomplaintwasbasedonnoisewhenbraking,
checksuspensioncomponents.Jouncefrontandrear
ofvehicleandlistenfornoisethatmightbecaused
byloose,wornordamagedsuspensionorsteering
components.
(3)Inspectbrakefluidlevelandcondition.Note
thatthefrontdiscbrakereservoirfluidlevelwill
decreaseinproportiontonormalliningwear.Also
notethatbrakefluidtendstodarkenovertime.
Thisisnormalandshouldnotbemistakenfor
contamination.
(a)Iffluidlevelisabnormallylow,lookforevi-
denceofleaksatcalipers,wheelcylinders,brake
lines,andmastercylinder.
(b)Iffluidappearscontaminated,drainouta
sample.Systemwillhavetobeflushediffluidis
separatedintolayers,orcontainsasubstance
otherthanbrakefluid.Thesystemsealsandcups
TJ
willalsohavetobereplacedafterflushing.Use
cleanbrakefluidtoflushthesystem.
(4)Checkparkingbrakeoperation.Verifyfree
movementandfullreleaseofcablesandpedal.Also
noteifvehiclewasbeingoperatedwithparking
brakepartiallyapplied.
(5)Checkbrakepedaloperation.Verifythatpedal
doesnotbindandhasadequatefreeplay.Ifpedal
lacksfreeplay,checkpedalandpowerboosterfor
beinglooseorforbindcondition.Donotroadtest
untilconditioniscorrected.
(6)IfcomponentscheckedappearOK,roadtest
thevehicle.
ROADTESTING
(1)Ifcomplaintinvolvedlowbrakepedal,pump
pedalandnoteifitcomesbackuptonormalheight.
(2)Checkbrakepedalresponsewithtransmission
inNeutralandenginerunning.Pedalshouldremain
firmunderconstantfootpressure.
(3)Duringroadtest,makenormalandfirmbrake
stopsin25-40mphrange.Notefaultybrakeopera-
tionsuchaslowpedal,hardpedal,fade,pedalpulsa-
tion,pull,grab,drag,noise,etc.
PEDALFALLSAWAY
Abrakepedalthatfallsawayundersteadyfoot
pressureisgenerallytheresultofasystemleak.The
leakpointcouldbeatabrakeline,fitting,hose,or
caliper/wheelcylinder.Internalleakageinthemaster
cylindercausedbywornordamagedpistoncups,
mayalsobetheproblemcause.
Ifleakageissevere,fluidwillbeevidentator
aroundtheleakingcomponent.However,internal
leakageinthemastercylindermaynotbephysically
evident.
LOWPEDAL
Ifalowpedalisexperienced,pumpthepedalsev-
eraltimes.Ifthepedalcomesbackup,wornlining,
rotors,ordrumsarethemostlikelycauses.
SPONGYPEDAL
Aspongypedalismostoftencausedbyairinthe
system.However,thinbrakedrumsorsubstandard
brakelinesandhosescanalsocauseaspongypedal.
Thepropercourseofactionistobleedthesystem,or
replacethindrumsandsuspectqualitybrakelines
andhoses.
HARDPEDALORHIGHPEDALEFFORT
Ahardpedalorhighpedaleffortmaybedueto
liningthatiswatersoaked,contaminated,glazed,or
badlyworn.Thepowerboosterorcheckvalvecould
alsobefaulty.