Brakes not holding

[fourmustangs]

Just got back from some wheelin.
Steep declines my LJ was not holding me.
Had pedal to floor, and was still creepin down the hill.

So guess I'll be looking at the big brake kit.
I have 15" wheels now, with fairly new tires.
I do want to upgrade to 35inch tires after this last trip. So should I do just the 15inch brake kit to keep 15x8 rims or change to 17 rim to get the 17inch brake kit?

When I do a hard brake on street I pull to left, is that a track bar adjustment to help get straight?

 

[Ante_Up]

Some potential causes could be some contamination on a brake pad, soft brake hose, worn suspension part or something as simple as uneven tire pressure

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[derekmac]

Our resident brake expert @mrblaine would be the best one to answer your questions.

 

[WDE]

If your pedal was on the floor, you either have an issue with the brake hydraulic system or you have no pad left up front. Contamination on the disk would still not allow for the extra pedal travel. There is no way the front disk should not be able to keep the rim from rolling on any incline.

First, check to see if you have brake fluid in the reservoir. If so, ensure that it is at the correct level, and that it is the appropriate color, clear yellowish tint. Then inspect the pads. If they both look good, bleed the lines anyway.

 

[fourmustangs]

If your pedal was on the floor, you either have an issue with the brake hydraulic system or you have no pad left up front.

plenty of pad still.
I could not guess either how much of a decline i was in

 

[MutantNinjaTJ]

Automatic Transmission? We're you riding the brakes coming down the incline? Sounds like they were over heated and they loose most of their stopping power when over heated. Just a WAG as we don't know your driving style.

 

[WDE]

plenty of pad still.
I could not guess either how much of a decline i was in

The tire should break traction and slide on the surface before the brake disk slips.

In any case, pedal should not go to the floor in a properly working hydraulic system.

 

[fourmustangs]

Automatic Transmission? We're you riding the brakes coming down the incline? Sounds like they were over heated and they loose most of their stopping power when over heated. Just a WAG as we don't know your driving style.

everything was nice and slow...yes automatic....most was in 1 or 2nd 4low .... so only steep stuff used the brakes.

been to do totally different style parks and neither held...was 40 degrees on one of them....sat around waiting for each jeep to go through so I know brakes were not over heated on that trip.

 

[fourmustangs]

The tire should break traction and slide on the surface before the brake disk slips.

In any case, pedal should not go to the floor in a properly working hydraulic system.

i believe it holds ok, till get to 45 degrees or so +/- 10

 

[mrblaine]

If your pedal was on the floor, you either have an issue with the brake hydraulic system or you have no pad left up front.

I'm assuming you don't understand that calipers are self adjusting and even with no pad and metal to metal contact will not change pedal height. It is more likely that he has no problem with the hydraulic system and it is working very well and so good in fact that it is flexing the calipers open enough to get the pedal close to the floor.

Contamination on the disk would still not allow for the extra pedal travel. There is no way the front disk should not be able to keep the rim from rolling on any incline.

Simply not true in the least. It is very easy to overpower the stock brakes since they are an old outdated design that weren't great when they were first introduced.

First, check to see if you have brake fluid in the reservoir. If so, ensure that it is at the correct level, and that it is the appropriate color, clear yellowish tint. Then inspect the pads. If they both look good, bleed the lines anyway.

While color has little to do with the efficacy of the brake fluid, it is always a good idea to flush the system and do a full bleed since that is rarely done.

 

[mrblaine]

The tire should break traction and slide on the surface before the brake disk slips.

In any case, pedal should not go to the floor in a properly working hydraulic system.

There isn't a TJ out there that I can't walk up to, hop in, start it up, and then push the pedal to the floor or nearly so. Try it, it isn't that hard to do unless you have some physical restriction on leg strength.

 

[mrblaine]

everything was nice and slow...yes automatic....most was in 1 or 2nd 4low .... so only steep stuff used the brakes.

been to do totally different style parks and neither held...was 40 degrees on one of them....sat around waiting for each jeep to go through so I know brakes were not over heated on that trip.

It is common and easy to overpower a lot of pad and or rotors on the TJ. A good pad should solve most of that. As for the big brake kit, I'd likely recommend that you contemplate the duration of your time on 33's pretty seriously. If you're going to stay on them awhile, the BBK will be a bit of overkill.

 

[fourmustangs]

It is common and easy to overpower a lot of pad and or rotors on the TJ. A good pad should solve most of that. As for the big brake kit, I'd likely recommend that you contemplate the duration of your time on 33's pretty seriously. If you're going to stay on them awhile, the BBK will be a bit of overkill.

I think 35's will be coming this year. I need that little more clearance for Level 4 stuff at the parks.. plus wife wants them..lol .. Technically she wants 37's

 

[fourmustangs]

There isn't a TJ out there that I can't walk up to, hop in, start it up, and then push the pedal to the floor or nearly so. Try it, it isn't that hard to do unless you have some physical restriction on leg strength.

my pedal is not easy to push all the way down. it makes it easier to do that on a slope though with extra body weight helping vs pushing against seat basically.

 

[mrblaine]

my pedal is not easy to push all the way down. it makes it easier to do that on a slope though with extra body weight helping vs pushing against seat basically.

Very common, more so when you have pads that don't work that well.

 

[whitrzac]

Are you sure that the tires were turning and not just sliding?

 

[fourmustangs]

Are you sure that the tires were turning and not just sliding?

yep had my head out the window..lol

 

[mrblaine]

Are you sure that the tires were turning and not just sliding?

I'm sure.

 

[fourmustangs]

My LJR is 100% toy, wife drives it to work on bad weather days instead of her mustang. Saturday drove 200 miles to wheel it, so I drive it too the places...other than that, I don't drive too much in houston Traffic with it. So sole purpose is to wheel it.

I will prob trailer it to Colorado next year for black bear pass. so want to make sure I have brakes.

 

[fourmustangs]

Very common, more so when you have pads that don't work that well.

So do you think the 15inch dual piston upgrade should be next...since going with 35s.
If you think its overkill...your speaking my language...lol
as long no negative effects