2.3L ('83-'97) Truck sometimes doesn’t move well in traffic

[mdiiorio]

Hello,
I have a thing I have been noticing on my 95 4 cylinder 5 speed since I got it 4 years ago, it is difficult to describe, and is an intermittent thing, but I’ll do my best. Sometimes in traffic, and usually more on a hot day, it seems to not roll in neutral, and be more resistant to moving forward from a stop in 1st. It’s almost as if the parking brake is slightly engaged, but it certainly isn’t. It never sticks badly enough to where I can’t move, and after cruising on the highway and coming to a stop again it seems to resolve. It is unpredictable and very intermittent, and actually happens pretty rarely but it is kind of annoying when it does. It never locks up or causes the truck to not be able to move, just makes it little more difficult to feather it out in first like I’m fighting the brakes. It’s been this way for years and hasn’t gotten any worse or better. I changed both rear drums and all hardware including adjusters and wheel cylinders about 6 months ago due to a leak and broken adjuster and it hasn’t made a difference at all, so I don’t think the problem is related to the rear brakes.
Mike

 

[rusty ol ranger]

What kind of shape are the calipers and front hoses in?

My ranger did something similar (only much worse) when i first got it and it was the passenger side caliper getting hot and locking up

 

[mdiiorio]

What kind of shape are the calipers and front hoses in?

My ranger did something similar (only much worse) when i first got it and it was the passenger side caliper getting hot and locking up

I changed the front pads about a year ago. And when I did all that work on the rear drums I bled all 4 lines and changed the brake fluid. The front calipers certainly are old, and occasionally the truck will pull to one side when braking, so I could have a front caliper that is giving me trouble with no visible defects. Maybe next brake job I will change the front calipers, they are the originals.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I changed the front pads about a year ago. And when I did all that work on the rear drums I bled all 4 lines and changed the brake fluid. The front calipers certainly are old, and occasionally the truck will pull to one side when braking, so I could have a front caliper that is giving me trouble with no visible defects. Maybe next brake job I will change the front calipers, they are the originals.

If its pulling when stopping id lay money you got a caliper dragging a bit.

Or the hose on that side is bad...personally id replace both

 

[mdiiorio]

If its pulling when stopping id lay money you got a caliper dragging a bit.

Or the hose on that side is bad...personally id replace both

Thanks! I think next brake job I will do everything, including hoses. It’s coming up…

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Thanks! I think next brake job I will do everything, including hoses. It’s coming up…

Yeah...sometimes the hose will decay inside, but not enough to blow out totally. Itll create little rubber flaps that act like mini check balls and when you hit the pedal its enough pressure to overcome it, but when you let off it doesnt let the pressure release that well.

 

[RonD]

Easy way to tell if a caliper or rear brake slave is sticking is to Open bleeder and see if there is still pressure in it

Brakes operate at 0psi when foot is off the pedal, 0 pressure
You need a helper

Turn front wheel so bleeder is easy to access/see
Start engine, have them pump the brakes a few times then foot OFF the pedal
Open a bleeder, should be NO spurt of fluid, just a drip
Repeat for each front wheel

Rear is a little trickier because there can be some pressure but not much, judgement call, has to do with ABS rear brakes and slave setup

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I remember something about a check valve or something to have residual pressure for the rear. 2psi, 5psi, not sure. This is before ABS tho

 

[RonD]

Yes, rear drum brakes can have residual pressure but not much

 

[RonD]

Also check the master cylinder cap, it is vented, this allow brake fluid to expand when its heated up in the caliper, rear slaves don't get all that hot but calipers do

You mentioned "on hot days" so reminded me of it
When your foot is off the brake pedal there is no valve in between caliper and Master, its wide open, so if fluid expands a bit when hot it can flow out the caliper and up into master.................unless the cap vent is blocked, not letting the air out, then calipers don't release all the way
You can just loosen the cap slightly as a test or check to make sure it is vented