Lost most of my brakes today

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Xatlatc
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Posts: 353
Joined: July 14th, 2015, 6:40 pm
Location: Upstate South Carolina

Lost most of my brakes today

Post by Xatlatc »

It's been about a week since I drove the Chinook so I went for a short ride today just to exercise it's wheels. I was about two miles from returning to the storage area and needed to make a 90 degree right turn so I started slowing down for the turn. Well, the brake pedal felt good as the Chinook started slowing down and just prior to the turn the pedal started sinking toward the floor. I went through the turn point and started pumping the brake pedal with my right foot and started to depress the emergency brake with my left foot. I pulled on to the shoulder and stopped not too far from the turn. Thank goodness traffic was minimal and the shoulder was wide enough for the Chinook. The pedal didn't touch the floor but it was very close. I started pumping the brake pedal because there was nothing else I could think to do and that's the way I did it before anti-lock brakes.
Once stopped and placed into Park, I popped the hood release and pried myself out of my seat. I didn't see any fluid from the brake fluid reservoir or master cylinder. No fluid from the wheels. Hmm?
I decided to drive along the shoulder testing the brakes to see if I could make it to storage. The brakes stopped me well enough to pull on to the road and go slowly to parking. I tested the pedal along the way and I had to pump it at times but it did slow me down. I wouldn't have been able to make an emergency stop though. I made it to storage and no dripping fluid noticed.
Swapped vehicles and off to the mechanic I went. He said it sounds like the power brake booster which is located behind the master cylinder. Thank goodness it happened at home and not on an upcoming road trip I have planned.
What a helpless feeling I had! Wow, what a ride. It will be towed to the doctor and not driven.

1999 Chinook Concourse
55k
New front end ( tie rod, shocks, front brakes, drums) October 2016
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Blue~Go
Senior Member
Posts: 3716
Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: Lost most of my brakes today

Post by Blue~Go »

Geez! Did you have grey hair before or only since :shock:

Sure glad you were only making a short trip and got pulled over okay. What a helpless feeling!

Will be interested to hear what the doctor says.

BG
1999 Concourse
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