Chris,
I wonder if the brake pedal shaft bushing has seized on the pedal
mounting bolt. When that occurs, the brake pedal does not return,
completely, to the "full off" position, which prevents the fluid from
returning into the cylinder....in other words, the brakes are dragging a
bit. As they heat up, and the fluid gets hot & expands (and it doesn't
take much), there's no way for it to escape back into the reservoir.
Hence, the brakes lock on, until everything cools down. Next time you
get in and try the brakes, all seems normal.
Have someone sit in the driver's seat, and depress the brake pedal. If
the blot turns with the pedal (the movement will only be about 1/16 to
1/8 turn, probably), that will confirm the diagnosis. It can go on for
a long time, until either the bolt wears a groove in itself, from where
it turns in the mounting bracket, or the bolt wears the hole, in the
bracket, out of round. Eventually, it gets pinched, and won't quite
release.
I freed mine up with Gibbs Brand Penetrant, and it's fine, for now,
until I get a chance to pull it out of there for a look-see and
recondition.
Bud Osbourne
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-spridgets@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-spridgets@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Chris K
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 7:06 PM
To: Spridgets
Subject: Front Brakes WTF?!?
1500 Midget, my daily driver. Driving to work this morning, everything
feels normal. I'm pulling away from a traffic light about a mile from
home and, and the car seems sluggish. I lift off the throttle, and the
car hauls down to a stop. HUnh?
Brakes felt normal when I stopped for the light, and now the pedal is
high and impossibly hard (as in I can't budge the SOB, and I leg press
close to 800 lbs.). I know something's not right, so I turn tail for
home. At the next light, the front brakes are smoking, both sides.
G.e.n.t.l.y make my way home, swap cars (jump into wife's 48 year old
MG), and head to work.
Come home this evening, and the brakes feel normal again. If it were
one side, I'd figure brake hose swelling, but both fronts at once???
Before I tear everything apart, anybody have any pet theories I should
test out?
Chris K.
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