Want to run a thought by you all.

As you know I have always complained about the brakes on my 95. The fact that the brake system is divided into the front normal and the rear abs, anyway a divided system is not the best as I see it. On Ice and snow the front lock up before the back breaks even began to work, losing steering. I would like it if I could get the backs to do more work in stopping. So in order to correct that problem I changed the rear wheel cylinders over to one ton cylinders. But still the breaks don't preform like I would like them too.

Now to my thought.

There is a "adjustable perportioning valve" that is available, and I thought about replacing the stock perportioning valve, there by adjusting the amount of pressure that is applied to the rear breaks so the rear will take more of the work. Just a case in point, my truck has 155000 k/m that's roughly 97000 miles and I have replace the front pads twice and in 155 thousand k/m I just for the first time changed the rear lining.

 

I have never heard of an after market adjustable proportioning valve. It makes sense. Remember that all proportioning valves tend to be a compromise, so if you adjust the valve so that the brakes work the way you want them to, under load conditions or slippery conditions you may end up with a problem. In other words, when you have a load on the rear brakes may not be effective. Or when driving in ice and snow the rears may tend to lock before the front works. Sounds like a ticklish juggling problem until you get it right. You may have to do a fair amount of experimanting.
Are you sure the stock valve is working properly?
Let us know how this works.

 

The biggest improvment comes in manually adjusting the rear brakes.

I know the rears are "self-adjusting" ,
But each time I pull the rear wheels to check the brakes, I can adjust 15-20 clicks on each side, before reinstalling the drums.
It makes a huge difference in the way my truck stops.

The self-adjusters are a joke.

 

Yep, what Ed said.

 

When diagnosing brake problems always start with the foundation brakes. Then if they are properly adjusted, proper linings, proper diameter drums and rotors, proper pressures (tested with a pressure gauge) no leaks etc then you can look at the abs side of it. The rears might be coming on but the abs controller is limiting the pressure. Early F150 and F250 had a RABS abs system that was pure scrap. I would disconnect the abs controller to the rears. If it stopped much better then I knew where the fault was. Then I knew I had an abs problem and not a mechanical brake problem. Have you had it looked at professionally?? Could be something as simple as the primary shoe is reversed. FWIW

 

There is a TSB out for removing the valve to improve performance. Wish someone would come out with an adjustable adjusting rod for the factory setup

 

[quote author=Mexstan link=board=10;threadid=19325;start=0#msg181577 date=1062938870]
I have never heard of an after market adjustable proportioning valve. It makes sense.
[/quote]

Been using them for years in the racing buisness.

Only prob as stated before is you get them adjusted for condition and you run up on a different one.

Robert;


If you go to that just remember to keep an eye on it.

It will work as stated.

: Eddie : 8)

 

Mexstan, The adjustable proportioning valve is made for high performance applications. All I can say is that you cant have anything worse than having the front brakes lock up first. Has a recipe for disaster. In any given situation I would want the rear's to work first. Once you lose your steering your up the creek. So to speak.

 

Shovelhead, yep! your right. but who wants to keep jacking there truck up to ajust there breaks. I have never had a vec in my life that needed so much babying when it comes to breaks.

 

Spots, "Could be something as simple as the primary shoe is reversed. "

I am sure the primary shoe is where it belongs, but that is a mystery..........that the front, the secondry shoe should ware out first.

 

Well it looks like all of us are all on line this morning.

 

[quote author=OH Sick link=board=10;threadid=19325;start=0#msg181601 date=1062944059]
Spots, "Could be something as simple as the primary shoe is reversed. "

I am sure the primary shoe is where it belongs, but that is a mystery..........that the front, the secondry shoe should ware out first. [/quote]

Again I'm going to show my ignorance. I've always thought the front shoe was the primary shoe. On all my vehicles the front shoe was always the one that went first, often long before the back shoe was close. ??? ???

On the front discs the inside pad always seems to go first, which is a baffle to me. Seems the pressure should be equal inside and outside.

Stan

 

Disc systems will sometimes show more wear on the inside pad. The sliders can get crudded up and all it takes is a fraction of a second application before the outside pad to wear it down. Keep your sliders lubed.
I was also always taught the primary shoe is the leading shoe. I'm sure there are some exceptions to the rule tho.
Some vehicles need more brake maintenance than others. I did a quick search and came up with websites that mentioned a 7500 interval to adjust brakes. 3750 for severe service. This was for the '96 to 2000 model 2500 I believe.

 

Bearfoot, What ignorance? Your right. The front shoe is the primary and the rear shoe is the secondary. What I meant was it is funny that when the primary shoe is the one that most generally wears out first, you would think that it would be the shoe that would have the most lining on it. But the secondary, the rear shoe is the one that has the most lining on it. Thats the way it is on my 95 CDT Now on the other hand I have had vehicles that both shoes had the same amount of lining on them, in fact you could exchange them around and it would make no difference at all.

But my contention is if the primary shoe is the one that wares out first then it should be the one that should have the most lining, and it is the other way around on my truck. 'sick.'

 

Get rid of the factory shoes. You'll notice the shoes have a black, glazed appearance. Most of the good aftermarket shoes (Raybestos, Bendix etc) will make a huge difference. It seems the Mopar shoes are too hard & glaze easily. They last forever because they don't do anything. My '96 sudenly had front pads that lasted 50k miles instead of 20k miles after I changed the shoes, braking improved immensely too.