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I’m pretty sure I have the correct master cylinder. I replaced it a second time, and it’s better. I can drive it now (I drove it to work today with no problems.) But it still doesn’t stop like it should. I bought new caliper pins because the existing ones are rusty, so hopefully that will help reduce noise. The main thing that I need to do is get the air bled out of the ABS unit, and since we likely won’t get any more measurable snow until fall, I’ll have to find another way to get the ABS unit to activate so I can bleed it again. I’m sure there aren’t any leaks because my fluid level is staying consistent.
I’m the next few weeks, I’m going to start sanding the rust on the roof and find a color-matched paint for it. I’m also looking for someone locally who can rebuild the steering box. All of the companies that sell rebuilt steering boxes have pretty terrible reviews, so I’m nervous about buying one.
The tie rods I installed in December are already shot. The boots cracked wide open and leaked all of their grease out, so I’ll be looking to replace those too.
Ok, glad to hear it's somewhat driveable. I put new caliper pins on the pass side too, since the old one was stripped. Eliminated my clunking brakes.
Wish I had advice for you on the ABS, hope you figure it out. I need to flush mine out with fresh fluid, but I'm afraid to mess with it after reading about your troubles. Maybe there's a way to trick the ABS to engage?
I hear you on the steering box. Even genuine AC Delco parts don't seem to have the quality anymore. Still haven't checked mine, but will probably try a reman unit if it needs replaced. You can get a seal kit an rebuild it yourself, but since worn gears seem to be the big issue that's probably pointless.
Sorry about the tie rods too. . I was going to order a real cheap set, but after hearing that I think I'll spend a little more to try to get better quality.
The tie rods I put on were ACDelco. I’m ordering Moog replacements. Just make sure not to fill the boots with grease until after they’re installed. I greased mine before installing them, and assumed the excess grease would just leak out the bottom, but as cold as it was, the rubber just cracked as I drove it.
My problem with air in the ABS module was caused when I replaced the master cylinder. As as long as you don’t have any air leaks above the ABS module, you hopefully shouldn’t have any problems I had when you flush your brakes. There are ways of tricking the ABS to engage, but it involves stopping on slick surfaces. There is a road near my house that is being resurfaced, and they have stripped the top layers of pavement off of it. I might be able to slam on the brakes on that road and get the ABS to engage a few times on my way home, and then bleed the brakes afterward. I’ll see if I can make that work.
I’m also looking for someone locally who can rebuild the steering box. All of the companies that sell rebuilt steering boxes have pretty terrible reviews, so I’m nervous about buying one.
Since you are going to rebuild you may as well go with a quick ratio box at the same time, I would !
If you choose to have Lee rebuild a late-model box, there are several options. For example, Lee can easily change the torsion bar in a large-car (B-body) box to increase the effort, but that requires completely disassembling the box. Lee does not have a set price for rebuilds, since each one is a little bit different, but he did give us a range of around $225 to $250 if he starts with a good, rebuildable box.
I used hem repair tape to stick the headliner edge back into place. I'm not sure how long to expect it to hold, but we'll see.
The brakes are working a little bit better. I'm going to try to get the ABS to cycle a few more times before bleeding them again one last time. I'm hoping that that, along with replacing the caliper pins should fix the braking issues.
I used hem repair tape to stick the headliner edge back into place. I'm not sure how long to expect it to hold, but we'll see.
The brakes are working a little bit better. I'm going to try to get the ABS to cycle a few more times before bleeding them again one last time. I'm hoping that that, along with replacing the caliper pins should fix the braking issues.
Your headliner pic showed up yesterday, but I'm not seeing it now, or whatever you posted before.
Headliner looks good. Better idea than what I had. I got a bunch of those upholstery tacks/screws and used those in the same spot on my blazer. At least I don't have to worry about adhesive, but it doesn't look as nice. Hope yours holds though.
Glad to hear your brakes are getting better. Hopefully you're almost done with that.
I replaced the caliper pins. The old ones were rusty, and didn't have any lubrication, so the brakes were quite "crunchy," in addition to their other issues. The new pins fixed that. I also replaced the wheel stud that I broke.
I haven’t done any work on it since the last post. The front brakes are making a crunching sound once in a while again, so I might need to lubricate the slides again. I might just go ahead and replace the calipers, since they’re not that expensive. I’ll also look at the rear brakes again and see if they’re being adjusted correctly. It’s stopping better than it has since I bought it, but the pedal is still pretty low.
Other than that, I’m having fun daily driving it. The Mazda just sits in the garage with 8,000 miles on it. I have about a year and a half before the lease is up, and I can get rid of it.
I haven't had much news, but today, I drove the Bravada to Colorado Springs for Pridefest.
It's the first time I had it out of town. It handled the I-25 traffic like a champ, cruised at 75-80 with no problem at all. It shook a bit at higher speeds, which I think is from the wheels being slightly out of balance. The A/C works, although it has some difficulty blowing cool air when the temp is above 90ºF. The only thing it had a bit of difficulty with was going up Monument Hill (~7900 feet) northbound back toward Denver. If I would have shut off the A/C and gave it a bit more throttle, it probably would have been fine.
Next time I take it out of town, I'll head up to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Then, later on to the Dakotas once I'm comfortable that it'll be able to handle the longer trips.
04-11-2018, 12:06 PM
