uglymudder

Prob never should've bought this thing, wife gives me hell every time I shuck out another $100 for this or that...but she's so ugly, I knew nobody would love her like I do. The truck, I mean...not the wife. Anyway...I feel no fluid pressure when I step on the pedal, the only stopping power I have feels almost like a mechanical last resort close to the floor...it doesn't feel like air in the system, it just feels like there's no pressure being built up. Res is full, repeated pumping doesn't affect the fluid level, no leaks that I can see...so...master cylinder plunger shot maybe? 81 sr5 22r 5sp

uglymudder

Btw, it was a woods truck for a couple years, then it sat...systematically replacing gaskets and seals...for the northeast, its just way too rare and in too good of shape to leave in the field. Thanks for helping me keep another classy girl around!

uglymudder

Oh yeah, one more thing...am I supposed to have power steering? Cause I don't...no pump, no plumbing...

ConSeann3ry

They came with and without power steering, should have 3 holes over by the oil dipstick if you want to install it. Sounds like master cylinder to me. The tunnel it is in is tapered and it might be the last little bit of it where the plunger is wide enough to stop fluid from flowing around it. With that said,I would bleed it first just to be sure.

uglymudder

Yeah, bleeding will be first...and I don't see and way to convert to power steering without changing the steering box, and I don't mind needing a little muscle to turn. The title says the unladen vehicle weight is 2350lbs...

moroza

2350 does not sound right. 2850 maybe?

Bleed them first. If you can cycle through a whole reservoir and you're still getting air bubbles, time for a new master.

I need brakes for this '81 I just bought, and doing some research shows that upgrading the booster and master cylinder to one from a later truck is a good upgrade.

slacker

iTrader: (1)

dont just blead them .. drain the whole frickin' system .. and put NEW fluid in it , brake fluid dosnt last forever , specially since she has been sitting for so long .. she'll love you just that much more .. the truck I mean




.

uglymudder

I was going to drain them out and replace the fluid, but after bleeding through an entire bottle of brake fluid, it's running clear and clean...and i noticed that a few of the lines looked like they had been replaced in the recent past. I do plan on removing the LSPV though...gotta love that "Jesus Piss"...that's what we call P Blaster around here...soaked them bleeder valves up, went and had lunch, came back and they came loose. I can't tell you if it made much of a difference in performance because I am still waiting for my Weber to get here, so I can't start it to feel the pedal with the assist...but it still kinda feels a bit soft...but it doesn't drop when I put steady pressure on it...so I don't know. Are they just a softerpedal in general?

TheChewMaster

I agree with the upgrades, you can do quite well with just upgrading the master and the brake booster. There is a thread on the booster.....http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=689905

jason191918

I love this, definitely calling it this from now on. PB is the way to go.

78yotawolverine

I would definitely take a look at the brake booster. I just fixed the problem with my 78 that was having the same symptoms. No leaking, but no brakes. went to u pull it and got a brake booster for 30 bucks and it was all better.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Over the course of time the rubber brake hoses get soft.

Which means as pressure is applied the hoses swell meaning less pressure to work pistons or wheel cylinders .

There would also be no leaks.

If you are going to upgrade the master cylinder why not new hoses.

Another thing if the rear shoes are out of adjustment from the bell cranks being seized and not using the E-brake that can cause pedal travel issues as well.

Could very well be both issues.

You can give the wife a choice you spend money on the Mistress with 4 tires instead of getting one with two legs.

She will be handing you tools in no time!!!

lobukbuild

this threads a laugh a minute 4 tires 2 legs lmao! at first i thought it said handling your tool in no time, but passin wrenches is just as good!!! on the other side of things in hand toyota brakes are not the easiest to to fool with in my opinion. they seem to be unique and finiky , as in if not every piece is not just rite they dont seem to work well.

Lycanistic

Subscribing for a whole new southern language...lol

lobukbuild

sorry i should of used puncuations and capitals it would of read smoother but i only type with one finger and this speeds things up my other hand is still fixing my brakes lol!

tazz76

My 82 " rest her soul" had the same issue I had to do hoses and master cylinder and then she had brakes only if the truck who hit me had brakes

lobukbuild

the early (first gen) trucks are the best of the best.they are the ones that started all this.funny how you never forget your first time, mine was an 83 ,she was considered pretty bad a$$ back in the day. had her for six years and spent 20,000 on her over time (a real looker with attitude to back it up). lost track of her when she went to vermont. never had this brake issue with her, but did have a cold winter once when i couldnt get any heat out of the heater .dealer told me to thin out the anti freeze to no more than 50/50,replace my rad cap and revearse the hoses going into core. go figure it worked!