IRONMAN76

Hi. I have a 99 tahoe and the rt ft caliper is not getting brake fluid. I've narrowed it down to the proportioning block in front of the abs unit. I believe one of them is stuck, is there a way to bypass the valve or is it possible to rebuild. Please help i live in florida and the hurricanes are coming and the braking is dangerous as it is, i don't need to factor in thunderstorms too.

oilcanhenry

I'd try back-flushing it first, if you are sure the calipers are not getting pressure. And, of course, if you have a known braking issue, you'll need to drive slower then normal with lots of distance. I am a professional driver myself, so my advice comes from many years of driving everything from riding motorcycles to working as a Class A truck driver for many, many years.

IRONMAN76

I don't understand what back flushing is. I felt an issue when I was braking and the truck was pulling hard to the right. I changed all four calipers and pads. When the truck was off the ground, I stepped on the brakes and the right front tire span freely letting me know the caliper was not working and in turn through cracking the lines at numerous spots led me to the valve.

oilcanhenry

Back flushing is using a device to get all the air out of your braking system, by using brake fluid and the device. If your are positive that it is the valve, then I think you should change it.

As a professional driver, I wont drive a rig if something is wrong with it, particularly the braking system and with a rig using air pressure, not brake fluid, to operate the brakes. That is a very common issue and one of the reasons I carry my own "glad-hand" seals, which connect the trailer brakes to the tractor, or what you might call the "truck". The sun and time eats those things up silly, and it only takes a couple of minutes to pop the old one out and put a new one in. That is what I call "cheap insurance" in my book.

Running on a brake that you KNOW is bad, is a good way to kill innocent people and land you in court and/or in prison, perhaps even on manslaughter charges, since it can be proved that you knew there was something wrong with the brakes. BTW, the attorneys these days are very smart about the internet and can and WILL search out places like this to PROVE that you knew you had an issue, if someone gets harmed when you KNEW you had a real problem. Please don't drive this vehicle, unrepaired

Would you want someone who had bad brakes to kill your loved ones? Of course you would not. Isn't changing the valve better then harming innocent people?

I have refused to drive a rig that I knew had an issue that needed repair. I have even quit on the spot, before I drove a defective rig. That is why I am a professional driver.

mountainmanjoe

What's with all the chest beating and scare mongering? The poster clearly stated that he thought that the brakes were dangerous, and obviously he's here to fix the problem.

oilcanhenry

MMJ:

I am not beating my chest, but when you are as old and experienced in life as I am, you understand that things that you may have done while young, were pretty stupid.

IMO, the OP is trying to "bypass" the issue for having to change a part or do a repair that he/she does not wish to pay for. Read the OP's missives on this. I, as a very professional driver, have had to haul very highly flammable substances in my time, even primers of gun-shell casings which are semi-explosives, so I know what I am doing.

Brakes, on anything, particularity a rig, are all important. There are too many mistakes on the roads these days with many people who can BARELY drive a simple light car, IMO. Not a day goes by that some idiot doesn't tailgates my car, and if I can do so I have a video cam, and they WILL be sued as hard as I can, if I am harmed. THAT IS A PROMISE, not "chest beating". If you cannot drive safely, then don't drive at all is my notion. I have a GPS with a camera built in so my case in court will be solid.

As a truck driver, I have to pay close attention to everything around me, including giving the vehicles in front of me LOTS of room in case they have to brake for something.
I have no wish to harm anyone, but I know how to drive expertly and if that is "chest-beating", then so be it. This person needs to repair his/her brakes, period. If they do not, they could be in prison for a very long time for manslaughter. I know what I speak of, as I have seen non-pro's kill light vehicle drivers and spend many years in prison.

73shark

Iron Man, have you checked the brake hose from the brake line to the caliper? Sometimes the inner wall of these flap down and create a check valve type action.

IRONMAN76

Thanks for the response oilcanhenry. Replacing the valve is out of my budget at the time which is why I was hoping for a fix. It's a simple valve, I'm assuming they're cannot be much to it other than bores and pistons.

Irish_alley

im confused as to why the truck would pull to the right if theres no brake fluid getting to it. it should be the other way around since theres no resistance on that side i.e truck pulls to right due to no resistance on the left.

ive had a brake hose do what shark is talking about in a way. the brake hose bracket was rusted and pinched the hose almost shut. it would slow the amount of fluid going to the right front caliper causing the truck to initially pull to the left if i "panic" braked. after stopping the truck would pull to the right as the brake fluid pressure on the right side was slow to be released. the right front hose was the only issue, we actually removed the bracket and cut the hose open where the bracket was and a few inches away and you could see the major difference

IRONMAN76

I am not driving a rig. It's a Chevy Tahoe. You are taking this way too far. And who are you to judge about replacing over repairing. I paid $500 for truck, the valve is $350. You don't know me and you don't know how I drive, I guess because I'm not a professional driver like you, then I'm going to kill people with my driving. Please refrain from responding if you have no other knowledge besides back flushing