Finished the 4Runner brakes ... ???

[Civil1]

Well I finished installing the 4Runner brakes this weekend, however I ran into a little issue this morning.

First, what I did

Installed 94 4Runner calipers
Installed 90 PU 1" MC
Installed 94 4Runner Brake Booster

Initial impression is that I love them, brake pedal feels real good and man this thing will finally stop without having to stand on the pedal.

During normal braking everything feels great, during hard braking there is a slight (and I mean very slight) pull to the left. I can live with that for now. I changed to the 4Runner brake booster because I was having intermitent problems with the brake pedal hardening up after hard braking.

I didn't get a chance to hook up the wires to the MC

The problem . . .

The problem started this morning when I went out to warm up the truck to go to work. Get in start it up get out to go inside to get my coffee walk around the back of the truck and notice that my brake lights are on ????. Call the wife out to have her step on the brakes to see what happens and nothing. Shut off the truck to see if they go out and they do.

Could this be caused by the wires to the MC not being hooked up??

I won't get a chance to look into it until this afternoon any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[Spook50]

Well I finished installing the 4Runner brakes this weekend, however I ran into a little issue this morning.

First, what I did

Installed 94 4Runner calipers
Installed 90 PU 1" MC
Installed 94 4Runner Brake Booster

Initial impression is that I love them, brake pedal feels real good and man this thing will finally stop without having to stand on the pedal.

During normal braking everything feels great, during hard braking there is a slight (and I mean very slight) pull to the left. I can live with that for now. I changed to the 4Runner brake booster because I was having intermitent problems with the brake pedal hardening up after hard braking.

I didn't get a chance to hook up the wires to the MC

The problem . . .

The problem started this morning when I went out to warm up the truck to go to work. Get in start it up get out to go inside to get my coffee walk around the back of the truck and notice that my brake lights are on ????. Call the wife out to have her step on the brakes to see what happens and nothing. Shut off the truck to see if they go out and they do.

Could this be caused by the wires to the MC not being hooked up??

I won't get a chance to look into it until this afternoon any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

I used to have this problem for a long time and I had always thought for some reason one of the front calipers wasn't working as hard as the other, but after some research I traced it to one of the rear drums binding up (not quite locking, but braking much harder than the other). No matter how much I adjusted 'em, my truck would pull violently to one side when braking. Since I did the rear disc conversion, it doesn't pull at all during normal braking, and when I really romp on the pedal, it only barely pulls. Compared to before though, it's straight as an arrow. The more I think of it, I think one of my wheel cylindres was binding up and probably close to siezing completely.

 

[Civil1]

Spook, my rear drums are next on the list of things to do. Been trying to decide if it is worth the effort to put on disks in the rear. With all the ebrake stuff I'm not sure if it is something I want to do just yet.

Still need to figure out why the brake lights are staying on.

 

[Jan-78FJ40]

Spook, my rear drums are next on the list of things to do. Been trying to decide if it is worth the effort to put on disks in the rear. With all the ebrake stuff I'm not sure if it is something I want to do just yet.

Still need to figure out why the brake lights are staying on.

The brake lights in a 60 are actuated by a switch above the brake pedal. The pedal pushes the switch in as long as the pedal is not pressed. If you press it, the switch disenages and the light comes on.
I suggest to look at that. Probably your pedal does not come all the way out, and you need to asdjust it.

edit: if they go out with the ignition off, it is something different.
do they come on without ignition if the brakes are pushed in? If so, ignore what I said above, sorry.
I don't think the wires to the MC have anything to do with this. Does the warning light come on on the dash? that's what the wiring to the reservoir cap should do...
j

 

[Civil1]

78FJ40 - I had just thought of that and went out in the parking lot to check it out and it seems that the switch is the problem. Well really the problem is that the shaft that connects to the brake pedal from the booster was a little bit shorter than the stock booster. I adjusted it out but apparently not far enough. If I pull up on my pedal the lights go out. I look into it more later.

Thanks all for the help on getting this brake upgrade completed I really appreciate it.

 

[Poser]

Shut off the truck to see if they go out and they do.

If the brake lights do not work when the ignition key is in the off position, as stated above, you have an interesting electrical anomaly occurring with your truck, as that is not normal operation. The brake lights, just like the headlamps and marker lamps should be hot and not switched through the ignition switch.



Good luck!


-Steve