I would say sticky caliper. There is probably a little crap on the piston and when you apply hte brakes the pressure isn't enough right off to push against the crap. As you stay in it the pressure finally pushes it out but then the crap gets in the way to let it go back in. But as you drive the rotor banging against it finally loosens it up. As far as a solution is drive it more. I had my front end apart for a while and when I finally got it back onthe road where the caliper had sat on the rotor was a hugh rust spot. Figure driving it would eventually clear it but it didn't and I had to take the rotor off and sand it down. Rust is pretty tough stuff sometimes. Jim

 

It's not uncommon for brake lines to fail internally. They will act like a one way valve, apply pressure, brakes stay applied until fluid can slowly return toward master cyl( going around sharp corner may uncover this condition: tighter bends in lines) Also on spring rebuild, lines are what 15 years old??? News ones,cheap insurance.Just a thought.

 

daxe,
could this be a may fab fest project?
my rear discs are leaking, causing fluid to drip on the inside of the rim.(anyone know what to look for causing the leak??)
I'm thinking of redoing the whole enchilada, as in new lines,proportioning valves and pork barrel line lockers.Spidertrax has a nice plug n play system.I'd rather pay a little extra for the security when it comes to stopping.

 

I hosed mine with PB Blaster, let them sit for awhile, then hosed them again and that seemed to clean all of the crud out of them. I've been trying to get into the habbit of cleaning them once a month or so, just to be on the safe side.

 

Sounds to me like a sticky caliper. Rebuild or replace it and be done with it. You would be smart to do both at the same time or your steering will pull the other direction next year.

 

I had a similar situation with a truck. Turns out that a brake line was crimped and I had also sheared off a glide pin, making for a potentialy dangerous situauion. I know that many concider brake work to be easy, but with the safety importance, I always go to a shop.

 

thanks to everyone for the responses. I think I will PBBlaster them and drive it around for a while this weekend if I get a chance (busy busy busy), maybe that will help a little. I certainly hope to get a more permanent fix in before the may fab fest. I want to be out in the eventual beautiful spring weather riding around without doors.

I have a question about parts for this truck, though. I was just at the Autozone site looking at brake parts. Am I correct in thinking that all I need to basically replace the front brakes is a "loaded" caliper assembly, brake pads and new lines? I know I should turn the rotors and replace them if necessary, too. What else is there to brakes that I can replace besides the calipers, pads, lines and rotors?

Since I might (with some luck) be going up to YJs SPUA this spring, I should take this opportunity to get some longer brake lines. At the autozone site they list several different lengths, but also several different diameters. Anyone know what diameter a 88.5 samurai uses? My choices are:

3/16"
1/4"
5/16"
3/8"

They are metal brake lines. Also, what is the stock length for the front? They have 8, 12, 20, 30, 40 , 51, 60" lengths. How long should I go to compensate for YJ travel?

thanks for your help, everybody.

~daxe

 

Loaded caliper should have the pads and thats it.
the brake lines are seperate. the Lines that you need longer ones are the Rubber flexable lines. ther are 2 up front and 1
in the rear of your year truck. PN's for napa numbers are around. the steel lines are 3/16th
I don't have any good calipers but have some you could use for cores.

 

Daxe, the lines that take a beating are the flexable rubber ones. Of course thats from the persepctive
of a CA boy, the rust belt may need to deal with the steel lines more often than I have had to deal with.
(Not that I haven't done my share of steel lines...)

You covered it all I think except the master cyl, thoses get tired too, and unless it's newer than the
15-18 year old junk. Personally, I like to do a complete job if I am going into the lines and everything.
I wasn't trying to suggest that you replace the master cyl with the pads or anything.

How are your rears? wheel cylinders aren't to expensive either.

 

yeah, i'm kinda inclined to replace the whole ball of wax. you just know if i dropped a couple hundred $ on a bunch of parts that whatever i DIDNT replace would fail immediately after assembly requiring me to completely disassemble the whole enchilada.

thanks for the core offer, too, Glenn. I'll probably take you up on that when I go order all the parts. In fact, if you don't mind, I might pick your brain when I'm doing it so I don't do somehting dumb and get myself killed.

~daxe

 

Your brake pistons have basically rustede themselves in the bore. Brake fluid is quite hygroscopic and if your piston boots are dry rotted or ripped, your asking for trouble. Get your rotors turned, I see too many vehicle come into my shop that have been "pad slapped" and it causes MUCH premature wear of the rotors. Pull your pistons out when you replace the brakes and buff them with OOO steel wool, and replace your piston boots. It will save you an immense amount of money.

 

I will give you a hand when you want to do it. I will be tearing the brakes off the toy axles this weekend and seeing what I need to replace there. (Got my lockers this week!

) gonna try to install them and clean all the mounting hardware off the axle housing to get ready for the suspension.

 

I'm not a brake expert by an stretch of the imagination. I have recently installed the Spidertrax rear disk brake system and Pork Barrel Line Lockers. I am also installing new extended rubber lines all around. I don't know anything about master cylinders. If someone is knowledgable in that area, I would love to see a thread on a master cylinder rebuild. I have owned my Zuk since January 87 and am running the original master cylinder, so if there is danger in age, I guess mine is a time bomb!