How do I tell if rear brakes are working?

[dernst]

Last year, when I got my truck smogged, they told me that my rear brakes were not working. They ran my rear wheels on their rollers during the test and when they applied the brakes, the rear wheels didn't stop the rollers.

Since then, I replace the rear wheel cylinders that were leaking. Now I can't tell if my rear brakes are working at their full potential. I suspect that the master cylinder may be going bad.

How do I test if the rear brakes are working properly?

Thanks in advance.

 

[gw33gp]

Take it out in the dirt and slam on the brakes to lock them up. Get out and look to see if there are skid marks behind the rear tires. This doesn't work so well with ABS (unless the fuse is removed) but in 88, Rangers did not have any form of ABS.

 

[dernst]

I tried to lock the rear brakes while on a dirt road and they didn't lock. I figure that the master cylinder is bad. I replaced the master cylinder, but now I have a new problem-- I need a new plastic fluid reservoir.


I tried my best to remove to reservoir from the master cylinder without breaking it. I tried to repair the damage with JB Weld, but that failed. I probably put fluid in it too early---It was about 2 hours later and only about 3/4 cured. I'm going to try the JB Weld again, but I'm still going to look for a better one.

Where can I buy a plastic reservoir for the master cylinder? If anyone has one for sell, let me know. It is for an 88 ranger and it has a float with an electrical switch.

Thanks

 

[351Mazda]

Remember you have rear drums, they're not going to lock as easy as the front. Get the back of the truck on jackstands, put it in gear and lock the brakes. see what happens. Those plastid reservoirs should be all over the place in junkyards, that's not something that's a common break.

 

[metalmacguyver]

Does your parking brake work?

 

[r1hatman]

Jack it up and put it on stands in the rear(safely!), block the front wheels. Start it and put it in drive while you watch the rear wheels apply the brakes and see what happens. That's just my opinion.

 

[dernst]

Parking brake works and I did do the jack stand test. While in the air, the brakes would stop the rear wheels. I feel that my rear brakes are working, but not at their full potential.

I've been working 7 days a week and getting to a junk yard will not happen for a couple of weeks. Does anybody have one that they could send me UPS, or know where I can mail order one?

Thanks

 

[IMenriched]

prettty sure LMC would have another reservoir


and of course junk yards

 

[Mark_88]

Rear brakes only do about 10-30% of the braking...front discs should do the rest...relying on anything else is dangerous...

 

[dernst]

I ended up buying a new master cylinder that had a new reservoir for $35. They didn't just sell the reservour by itself. Let this be a lesson to others—when you buy a new master cylinder, get the one with the plastic reservoir.