4794bff1   
   From: 1991@nowhere.com   
      
   On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:10:50 -0800 (PST), al  wrote:   
      
   >Sorry to hear of your problems.  Let's look at the most critical thing   
   >first - the brake failure.  A common brake failure is an internal   
   >master cylinder leak.  No brake fluid leaks outside.  Instead, the   
   >internal master cylinder seals fail and the fluid can't maintain   
   >sufficient hydraulic pressure.  Hence, no brakes.   
      
   And apparently this type of truck has a MC with two pistons, according   
   to the shop, and when one fails, it bypasses the other, so you don't   
   get stopping power.   
      
   I did notice the next morning when I pulled it out of the driveway   
   into the street so it could be loaded up on a flatbed to be towed to   
   the shop, that I had some pump (resistance against the pedal) back   
   again. Not a normal amount, but *some* whereas I had virtually none by   
   the time I crawled back in the driveway when the incident occurred the   
   afternoon before.   
      
   >This type of   
   >failure often can occur not long after any type of brake work is   
   >done.  If the shop tries to bleed the brakes and does it the old   
   >standard way of opening the bleeder valve and repeatedly pumping the   
   >brake pedal to the floor, then the piston and seal in the master   
   >cylinder can travel into parts of the master cylinder that are no   
   >longer perfectly smooth.  The rubbing of the seal against the rough   
   >portion of the master cylinder bore can lead eventually to seal   
   >failure.   
      
   A really good point... hadn't thought about that. (My brake work was   
   done a year or more back, but that's interesting.)   
      
   >The grease on the underbody almost certainly came from a ruptured CV   
   >boot.  I don't know where you live but premature boot failure often   
   >happens happens during cold weather when wet dirt and ice get impacted   
   >in the folds of the boot and then freeze solid.  This condition can   
   >rupture the boot as the boot tries to flex with hard, dirty ice frozen   
   >to it.  The key to long boot life is to keep them clean and supple.   
      
   I live in SO CA, and while we did have a cold snap a few weeks back,   
   it's not brutal weather here. What can I put on the boots to keep them   
   supple? They stay clean b/c the truck sits pretty high off the road.   
      
   >Hope all this helps.  Good luck.  Al   
      
   Thanks so much --   
      
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