# Scary one



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Boy you sure got lucky with your quick reflexes----Time to have the lines replaced,for sure.

Check the trans cooling lines while you are at it---


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Very scary. While pulling a trailer no less.

I popped a beak line on my 94 Firebird once. Fortunately it was on a Sunday morning and streets were empty. One guy out there must have thought I was nuts, running through the intersection Sure woke me up though. 

I thought I remember reading, when I was a kid, that they put the brakes on two independent diagonal circuits, so you wouldn't be left with no brakes.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

had brake lines, brake hoses, sealing washer where the hose bolts onto the caliper all cause me to lose brakes but thank goodness I was never hauling a trailer and most of the times didn't have family with me. It scares the Hell out of you (well it did me anyway)


sounds like you did an exceptional job keeping your cool and making a decision that avoided anybody getting hurt or worse. You should be commended for such quick thinking and acting.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

GOOD GRIEF, and your driving skill and reflexes are beyond imagination.

I've never needed to and have never tried it but have often wondered if pulling the shifter down to 1 would help stop in situations like this?

With all the seemingly endless changes in the auto industry it's difficult to keep up with what will and what won't help or work.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Thank goodness you and the family are okay buddy. God can work in mysterious ways and maybe this time he was working through some geese.

Get that thing checked out.

I wouldn't be surprised if there something in the ABS unit is well. Remember, although we boys and gals raised on non-ABS cars want to feather and pump the brakes, just hammer them and let the computer do it's job...most of the time...hopefully.


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## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

I was sitting at a red light and the brake pedal sort of pulsed and would not apply the brakes. I had to jump up on the sidewalk to avoid rear ending the car in front of me. If I had been a little closer I would have smacked the car in front of me. Glad you are safe


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## McSteve (Dec 8, 2009)

I've had two spooky brake failures myself, the most recent was a rear brake line that let go on my Cougar. It happened just as I was braking into a 25 MPH curve going about 60. I managed to barely make the right hand curve and ended up in the far left lane, fortunately no traffic. Forced it into 1st gear and hit the grass shoulder, got it to a stop about 30 feet before a large highway signpost.

The time before was typical Chevy ABS problems, on a 90s Lumina minivan. I was heading downhill to a stop sign at a Tee intersection with a busy highway. I applied the brakes nice and normal, on a perfectly dry summer day, and the ABS started pulsing and wouldn't give me any braking. Pumped the pedal a bunch, and the ABS refused to allow me to apply the brakes.

Maybe 50 feet before the bottom of the hill, the ABS warning light came on, it stopped pulsing, and I was able to apply the brakes hard and come to a stop. I pulled over and yanked the ABS fuse and never put it back.

Apparently one of the wheel speed sensors was intermittent, so the ABS computer didn't see it as failed, it just saw occasional loss of rotation on one wheel and treated it as a skid.


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

oh'mike said:


> Boy you sure got lucky with your quick reflexes----Time to have the lines replaced,for sure.
> 
> Check the trans cooling lines while you are at it---


From the little research I did last night the normal shop fix for this is all of the brake lines (no kidding?) the fuel lines and tranny lines.



SPS-1 said:


> Very scary. While pulling a trailer no less.
> 
> I popped a beak line on my 94 Firebird once. Fortunately it was on a Sunday morning and streets were empty. One guy out there must have thought I was nuts, running through the intersection Sure woke me up though.
> 
> I thought I remember reading, when I was a kid, that they put the brakes on two independent diagonal circuits, so you wouldn't be left with no brakes.


They are, and from what I learned in school the proportioning valve should have blocked the flow to the rear brakes. It may have but also let air in to the system causing a low brake peddle and little front brakes.



nap said:


> had brake lines, brake hoses, sealing washer where the hose bolts onto the caliper all cause me to lose brakes but thank goodness I was never hauling a trailer and most of the times didn't have family with me. It scares the Hell out of you (well it did me anyway)
> 
> 
> sounds like you did an exceptional job keeping your cool and making a decision that avoided anybody getting hurt or worse. You should be commended for such quick thinking and acting.


It definitely scares the hell out of you. Unlike a lot of people you see pulling 7k behind their trucks I leave or try to leave a lot of room between my self and the cars in front of me.



SeniorSitizen said:


> GOOD GRIEF, and your driving skill and reflexes are beyond imagination.
> 
> I've never needed to and have never tried it but have often wondered if pulling the shifter down to 1 would help stop in situations like this?
> 
> With all the seemingly endless changes in the auto industry it's difficult to keep up with what will and what won't help or work.


I left a lot of room and was lucky no one cut in front of me, that happens a lot, There was a decent way out this time, had it been at another intersection a fire hydrant or something could have been in the way. I had a lot of things going right for me at that moment in time.




Windows on Wash said:


> Thank goodness you and the family are okay buddy. God can work in mysterious ways and maybe this time he was working through some geese.
> 
> Get that thing checked out.
> 
> I wouldn't be surprised if there something in the ABS unit is well. Remember, although we boys and gals raised on non-ABS cars want to feather and pump the brakes, just hammer them and let the computer do it's job...most of the time...hopefully.


I hooked a scanner up to it, ABS seems to check out so far. I will check it again after the repairs are made. I'm not a fan of ABS, even with it on ice I can get it to stop faster by "pumping" the brakes. I was lucky I had a good teacher for a driving instructor, and I'm not talking about the 30 minutes a day we had to do in school.



mj12 said:


> I was sitting at a red light and the brake pedal sort of pulsed and would not apply the brakes. I had to jump up on the sidewalk to avoid rear ending the car in front of me. If I had been a little closer I would have smacked the car in front of me. Glad you are safe


That's one thing I try to stay in a habit of. If I cant see the rear tires of the car in front of me touching the pavement, it is likely that I may not be able to crank the wheel and go around them if there is an emergency, or if someone was to rear end me if the extra space isn't there it's likely to be a multi car accident.



McSteve said:


> I've had two spooky brake failures myself, the most recent was a rear brake line that let go on my Cougar. It happened just as I was braking into a 25 MPH curve going about 60. I managed to barely make the right hand curve and ended up in the far left lane, fortunately no traffic. Forced it into 1st gear and hit the grass shoulder, got it to a stop about 30 feet before a large highway signpost.
> 
> The time before was typical Chevy ABS problems, on a 90s Lumina minivan. I was heading downhill to a stop sign at a Tee intersection with a busy highway. I applied the brakes nice and normal, on a perfectly dry summer day, and the ABS started pulsing and wouldn't give me any braking. Pumped the pedal a bunch, and the ABS refused to allow me to apply the brakes.
> 
> ...


One of the many reasons I dislike ABS, sure it maybe fine for some people but it can cause a lot of problems with a critical vehicle system. 

I fought my wifes car for a long time. One day every time she hit the brakes the ABS would go on. Scanner said passenger side rear wheel speed sensor. Ordered one of Amazon and installed it, worked just fine. A month later, same issue, so I started doing some looking. That year of Nissan Maxima had an issue with the drain hole in the wheel hub not being drilled at the proper angle to drain water. A little grinding and a cleaning of the sensor and it was good as new. Some of the reports I read said that in some cases the ABS controller would continue to run even with the car shut off, it could heat up enough and start on fire.


I started looking more at the truck last night, didn't get very far but the line runs from under the drivers side door to the rear axle, it looks like it's going to be a pain to replace in one piece. At least today will not be 50 degs and windy. I might be more inclined to deal with it.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Don't vehicles all have two separate (hydraulically) systems to ensure some braking even if a line ruptures? I have heard of partial but not complete brake failure. Glad you and your family are ok.


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

Bigplanz said:


> Don't vehicles all have two separate (hydraulically) systems to ensure some braking even if a line ruptures? I have heard of partial but not complete brake failure. Glad you and your family are ok.


That should be the case. I've been reading up more on the issues today. It seems there has been a lot of people filing complaints about this it looks like it affects the 1999-2009 trucks. GM said it is a regular maintenance item. They claim that if the rear goes out you will still have brakes, I'm not the only case that had very minimal braking, it sure wouldn't stop a vehicle well going more then 10 MPH.

I did file a complaint with the NHTSA and sent a letter to GM. Not that I'm expecting anything.

I've found a few places that have a kit of all the lines for a reasonable price. The dealership I bought the truck from said they bend their own. I'll pass.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

1985gt said:


> I hooked a scanner up to it, ABS seems to check out so far. I will check it again after the repairs are made. I'm not a fan of ABS, even with it on ice I can get it to stop faster by "pumping" the brakes. I was lucky I had a good teacher for a driving instructor, and I'm not talking about the 30 minutes a day we had to do in school.


Stopping distance you might. Most people won't, but the bigger benefit is the ability to steer the vehicle under panic breaking. 

Put you on some wet pavement and test the system and you will really see the difference. 

Glad you are okay and just because she isn't throwing a code...check the solenoids and valve body in the system. 

I am guessing you have already check the fluid level?



Bigplanz said:


> Don't vehicles all have two separate (hydraulically) systems to ensure some braking even if a line ruptures? I have heard of partial but not complete brake failure. Glad you and your family are ok.


All newer master cylinders have two reservoirs and pistons that pressurize fluid. If you have a break in the line, it is barely going to give you two stops either way.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

Nice going 85GT...:thumbsup::thumbsup:


Really, your actions were a testament to defensive driving.... really knowing what was completely around you..and realizing your best exit route...

You made me think/wonder about the times I've been thinking of something else, talking intently with someone, or just spacing out relaxing... :no:

Never know what's going to happen...


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## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

Not really a braking issue but would like to share, I was drive a 70's area Honda motorcycle with one of those fancy windowsheilds in the front. So traffic goes to the left pretty sharply on the interstate, As everyone made the curve an odd wind blow my bike to the right. 
The last thought I had as I looked down at the tractor trailer wheels was this is going to be quick. Next thing I know my bike went up right and back with the flow of traffic. That could of been the same odd wind that blew me in that direction in the first place. Or, as I believe, that was the actual hand of God saving my life.


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

Windows on Wash said:


> Stopping distance you might. Most people won't, but the bigger benefit is the ability to steer the vehicle under panic breaking.
> 
> Put you on some wet pavement and test the system and you will really see the difference.
> 
> ...


On older trucks if you had a pressure drop for what ever reason the compensation port would block off the flow of fluid to the side that has the leak. From what I experienced GM trucks do not have this or there is a lot that have failed.



MTN REMODEL LLC said:


> Nice going 85GT...:thumbsup::thumbsup:
> 
> 
> Really, your actions were a testament to defensive driving.... really knowing what was completely around you..and realizing your best exit route...
> ...


Don't praise me too much, I've been known to drink coffee/pop talk on the phone and eat a burger at the same time while driving, just not pulling a trailer and for sure not with the family in the car.




mj12 said:


> Not really a braking issue but would like to share, I was drive a 70's area Honda motorcycle with one of those fancy windowsheilds in the front. So traffic goes to the left pretty sharply on the interstate, As everyone made the curve an odd wind blow my bike to the right.
> The last thought I had as I looked down at the tractor trailer wheels was this is going to be quick. Next thing I know my bike went up right and back with the flow of traffic. That could of been the same odd wind that blew me in that direction in the first place. Or, as I believe, that was the actual hand of God saving my life.


Guardian angels, they work in wonderful ways.


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

Finally got it finished up this weekend. 5 new metal lines, new fluids for the front, rear diff, and transfer case and new rear shoes. 


Then









Now










Now its time for a more fun project, carb rebuild on the ol' girl.


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