Brakes,
The other day,
I needed them,
I called on them,
And they were there, and they worked flawlessly.

Most of the people that know me know I am a safe and defensive driver,
I do all of the repairs on my truck before something breaks and use only the best materials available.

To me brakes are the most important item on my truck, no matter how you get the Cummins moving; somehow you have got to get it to stop.

I have developed a few habits/quirks? over the years might be good or bad, like when I come off a freeway off ramp, I will always tap the brakes to make sure there is pedal pressure or every day before I back out of my driveway I press on the brakes with my right foot while the left foot under the pedal to keep track of my lining adjustment, I am also constantly looking as I drive for a way out should something happen unexpectantly, some insane things have happened to me here in California.

But with all of the practice and almost 50 years of driving, there are some things you just cannot prepare yourself, like panic stops with adrenalin rush.

So the other night I was coming home from my parents house about 11:00 P.M. on a street that I know like the back of my hand traveling in the #1 lane on a 2 lane undivided highway, I just left the intersection and I was in the left lane with a minivan in front of me also traffic on my right, about 40–MPH the minivan in front of me suddenly swerves to the right out of his lane and here I am closing in on a STOPPED small sized pickup truck waiting to make a left hand turn into a side street, it was late and I was really tired so I know my reaction time wasn’t as good as it should have been, but I let off the throttle and stood on the brake pedal with both feet, I just knew for sure I was going to hit this truck, the nose went down and I could feel the truck dig in to the asphalt as it stopped in a straight line, the brakes seemed to be working perfectly, without steering I went straight, couldn’t really hear any sounds because my windows were up but from the skid marks I had left it must have said something.

Nope somehow I did not hit him, I stopped about 3 feet from the back of his truck, as I sat there the cloud of smoke passed my truck as he made his turn like nothing had ever happened, I accessed the situation, stepped on the throttle and continued my journey home, now fully awake.

BTW my brakes do need servicing, I can tell because the pedal touches the top of my left foot.

A couple more quirks,
When I am in a drive through at a bank, I only get in the lane that has a straight shot into the street, and I never take the truck out of gear.

In traffic and after you make several random lane changes the car behind you does the same, be concerned.

When we go to a store like Target, K-Mart I always watch all of the people and their actions.

Places like 7-11 I will not go in if I do not feel comfortable, I also watch everybody’s hands using my peripheral vision.

Scan overpasses as you approach them.

So tell me I am crazy.

Jim

 

Jim, you aren't crazy, we call that condition Yellow, perhaps Orange..........

Glad to see the brakes work well!

 

No you are not crazy, you are aware . People who are aware can avoid situations that people who are in a fog or otherwise occupied cannot. The people who are aware are the ones who survive.

 

Jim,

You're not crazy, as other's have said. Paranoid ???


Nah, you're not that either. Just being prepared for what's around you. The overpass thing isn't your imagination either, as I do that here as well.

A few years back, a volunteer fireman was dropping CMU blocks off of an overpass, as there apparently wasn't enough accidents on the freeways around him, and he wanted to feel " Needed ". Yeah, well, I hope his BF needed him as much as he could once he found himself in prison. Stupid self gratifying psychopath...


Oh well.


My brakes are better than ever because I switched pads. Originally I purchased Brembo pads from Rockauto that were sold very inexpensively. Chinese Junk, but I thought I was doing myself right by buying them.. Still have a set left, and I'm probably going to just toss them out.

Since I smartened up, I purchased these:


With a new set of Napa rotors, new calipers, and hoses, the truck is absolutely amazing at stopping, as never before. The distance which I used to stop previously has decreased by 25% or more. It's a strange sensation, as when I touch the brakes, it feels like a different vehicle. Can't say exactly why, but these new pads are simply amazing. Little or no effort, and I come to a complete stop. No more noise either...

Glad you're okay. Glad you're still aware. I know myself, that after sitting at a red light and getting slammed at 60MPH by a little old decrepit woman that shouldn't have been on the road at all, I'm constantly looking in the rear view, and creating an "out" where I can pull off the road if I see something heading my way...

 

Jim, glad things worked! And you are being responsible looking out and planning. If you can keep problems from happening, there is no need to call for help to fix the problem when it occurs.

One more thing, if a car stays next to you for anything over "normal", do something, brake-speed up-change lanes...

Just a Cop thing, but ingrained into all my family.

 

In the name of Burke's Law, you know you're old if you remember that one, I hereby declare you legally insane and order you to relinquish your truck to me. All seriousness aside, I know exactly how you feel. You may recall back in December 2009, when I hit that deadly dust storm on my way to Mexico. I had just finally got my brakes working right or I would have slammed into the rear end of a stopped semi. Since I put in the new MC on it, it now goes like a dream and doesn't stop like a nightmare...Mark

 

What if the shadow is a HP, and when you begin evasive maneuvers he lights up and pulls you over.

Let's try DUI. "When did you have your last drink?" "About 25 years ago."
Let's try evading arrest. "I thought I was becoming the victim of road rage."
20 sumthin' cop, "What do you know about road rage?"
Old phart (me), "A couple million miles worth. How many miles have you driven in your life?"

Took me about 20 minutes to talk him down off his adrenalin high. Politely asking for his badge number, pen in hand seemed to make him a bit more cautious about random accusations. He gave me a ticket for obstructed license plate. His was dirtier than mine.

It's getting to the point I want to install a multi camera recording security system just to cover my a** when I'm visited by these characters.

 

Need info on replacing the rotors and pads on 1993 Dodge W250 4x4 diesel.