Soft brakes

[IRLGW]

I feel my brakes have gone very soft in recent weeks although the pad not too bad. I also feel that its pulling a little under braking so maybe there is a sticky piston on one side. However, if I pump the pedal when stationary it doesn't really get hard and the brake warning light comes on (but not the abs). The fluid level looks ok so is this a common symptom of an lc80 problem or my own issue.

Also I have oil Pissing out of my steering box and it isn't red? could be brake fluid but not entirely sure is there a special oil for these boxes or has someone put the wrong oil in?

 

[Paul_Humphreys]

First off check your wheel bearings.

 

[Andrew Prince]

Also I have oil Pissing out of my steering box and it isn't red? could be brake fluid but not entirely sure is there a special oil for these boxes or has someone put the wrong oil in?

The ATF in the powersteering system does not have a cooler and will eventually degrades - perhaps the oil you see leaking out is very tired ATF?

On the braking, another possibility is your brake hoses are near the end of their life. There are stories of the hoses delminating internally, so you have long "intrusions" forming between the layers, which obviously robs some braking force. New hoses might help? Also what does "not too bad" on the pads mean? The brake warning light is a classic sign that the pads are very worn and the brake fluid level has dropped - perhaps air was introduced into the lines from the master cylinder if the fluid level got too low?
I suspect you're going to have to give your whole brake system a once-over to solve this one.

 

[Chris]

Just be warned here before you start pumping away. One of the issues with these old trucks is that the master cylinder piston gets very happy where it is moving up and down in the same place for years. But the minute you bleed the brakes and press the seals further down the cylinder than they have been for over a decade, they tear, wear, distort - call it what you will, on the unused portion of the cylinder. You can bleed and bleed and bleed (been there) and no air comes out but your pedal is still soft. This is because the fluid is getting past the master seals. It sounds almost as though you have this going on already. Milner do a MC for around £50. Non genuine, but fine as far as I could see. I would anticipate getting one of those in probably, in readiness.

I don't know your truck, but most of the later steering boxes were sealed. Earlier ones I understand were toppable upable. Worrying that oil is coming out of the box itself. Are you sure.

Chris

 

[IRLGW]

Thanks for the tips guys so I probably will fit a replacement MC and upgrade the hoses. I think there goood be a wheel bearing issue as the yoke doesn't track to good on a bump road.

The cruiser is an April 1993 12v manual with 180k on the clock. Its immaculate throughout and this is the only leak in the entire vehicle. I haven't been right down to the steering box but it could be a dodgy hose. That side of things was always oily and the leak seemed to get worse after I had it steam cleaned. At the moment it looses about 1/2 litre steering fluid a week but also leaks when not running. Tried power steering leek stop but not working with whatever fluid is in there.

 

[Chris]

AFAIK, the lubrication inside the steering box is not the same as the power steering fluid. So if you are losing PSF then it's not a leak in the box. Much more likely a hose as you suggest. Stop leak probably wouldn't work on that. It's more for seals than holes / splits etc.

Chris