You know how, sometimes, you don't want to dive in to something because you know it will lead to other things? Well...
Recently, I noticed that after driving awhile, my front right tire would make a god awful noise. I knew it was brake related because it would go away when stepping lightly on it.
Exactly 1 year ago Thursday, I put on new rotors and pads in the front and new drums and shoes in the rear. Yes, drums and shoes.
So, being as humidity was down it was time to tackle the job. I back the truck in, pulled the rear wheels, and cleaned the drums. Shoes were good as the rears were hardly actuating. These new self adjusters don't work like the old ones. 16 clicks on the passenger side, 8 on the drivers side to adjust. That is a lot. Bled the system.
Pulled the right front (known as squealy Dan), then the caliper and hit the brakes. As suspected, only the upper cylinder worked. Which means, after it is pumped a few times, the bottom would extend and not retract.
Off to Napa in Mason. Of course they would only have the driver's side (which I planned to replace). Off to Stockbridge for the passenger side.
Got home used the old hangers, new calipers, and bled the system. Soft pedal. Bled the rear and found massive air in the driver's rear. THEN, as we pull out to test, the check engine light comes on.
On my way to Mason to run diagnostics, I test the brakes. Great stopping, rear is better than ever BUT, the squal is there if only for a second or two. (No, it isn't tie rods or bearings).
Get the diagnostics and I have 4 codes. Bank 1 too lean, bank 1 and 2 too lean. Could be air flow, air flow sensor, or fuel pump. Knowing troubleshooting, I start with the smallest thing. Clear the codes, and change the air filter. Bingo, air flow causing lean burn. Problem solved.
So, after ice cream, we take squeally Dan home for what I "think" is tge solution. You see, the pads were good and I kept the old hangers BUT I never bothered to change the clips! The pads were not sliding correctly and one of the spring arms was NOT pushing tge pad away drom tge rotor when tge cylinder retracts. Put the new clips on and all is good!
I set out to solve a squeaky wheel and would up adjusting and cleaning the rear brakes, bleeding the lines 3 times, buying two new calipers, changing clips, diagnosing a check engine light, and changing an air filter. All so I can pull my boat.
Oh, because this is a fishing forum, we fished yesterday and brought home 24 walleye in a shade over 5 hours!
