Prolonged brake fading after intense descent? (1 Viewer)

[pcalabro]

I took my '89 FJ62 to the top of the ski hill in Aspen via the summer road. It's a lot of switch backs with a number of sections that are quite steep.

On the descent, I experienced significant brake fading and stopping power that was very much reduced. I really had to constantly pump the pedal to get any significant braking power. Once reaching the road, it felt like the rear brakes were locking up entirely when I was gently stopping at intersections on my drive home through town, AKA screeching/grinding sound and abrupt stopping.

I didn't drive my truck again for about 24 hours. When I took it back out to test how the brakes were feeling, I wasn't getting any lockup but the brakes felt quite soft and the pedal travel was significantly longer than it had been prior to the descent.

Any thoughts on how I should begin troubleshooting here? The truck can stop right now but I don't feel great about the state of the braking system.

 

[OSS]

Lucky you didn't die. Brakes can fade from overheating to the point that it's impossible to stop a vehicle.
While you have an automatic transmission on the 62 which doesn't lend itself to effective engine braking, once you notice the brakes are beginning to fade on a downhill run, try to downshift into a lower gear to let the engine do some of the braking. You might go a little slower than you want and the engine might race a bit faster than you want, but it's better than losing brakes completely.

Your brakes are now toast. The pads have been glazed to a glass like smoothness and so have the drums & rotors.
Turn (lathe) or replace the front rotors and rear drums and replace the front pads & rear shoes.

The rear drums are adjustable and they auto-adjust with the parking brake handle when everything is moving smoothly

 

[Seth S]

You should also do a good brake fluid flush with all fresh fluid. It’s not a bad idea to flush the brake fluid once every year or two...most cars might go decades before someone flushes the fluid. But brake fluid does go bad and especially after overheating your brakes you can cook the fluid too.

 

[Seth S]

There is a mountain near here with an auto road to the top. Number of years ago an old guy in a new Cadillac came down the road riding the brakes the whole way. He pulled off near the bottom and the car caught on fire and burned up. Everyone was out of the car but point is brakes get hot.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

I traveled to Colorado a couple years back stayed in fairplay and traveled back and forth twice a day to go snowboarding at Breckenridge traveling over the Houser pass with my 62 loaded down with tools and such never had a problem granted i wasn't hauling ass but i also used the transmission to help slow down the landcruiser never road the brakes once maybe its your driving technique. Brakes will fade on any vehicle if you just ride the brakes the whole time.
Tommy

 

[pcalabro]

Lucky you didn't die. Brakes can fade from overheating to the point that it's impossible to stop a vehicle.
While you have an automatic transmission on the 62 which doesn't lend itself to effective engine braking, once you notice the brakes are beginning to fade on a downhill run, try to downshift into a lower gear to let the engine do some of the braking. You might go a little slower than you want and the engine might race a bit faster than you want, but it's better than losing brakes completely.

Your brakes are now toast. The pads have been glazed to a glass like smoothness and so have the drums & rotors.
Turn (lathe) or replace the front rotors and rear drums and replace the front pads & rear shoes.

The rear drums are adjustable and they auto-adjust with the parking brake handle when everything is moving smoothly

Thanks for the reply and the info. When I felt the brakes getting a bit spongy, I turned my truck off for about 20 minutes. When I continued on, I had the car in the lowest gear to achieve what little engine braking was available to me. Got down fine but the first half was a new experience for sure.

 

[pcalabro]

You should also do a good brake fluid flush with all fresh fluid. It’s not a bad idea to flush the brake fluid once every year or two...most cars might go decades before someone flushes the fluid. But brake fluid does go bad and especially after overheating your brakes you can cook the fluid too.

Thank you, I will be swapping out front rotors and pads and rear drums shoes and then doing a full flush. Appreciate the reply.

 

[pcalabro]

I traveled to Colorado a couple years back stayed in fairplay and traveled back and forth twice a day to go snowboarding at Breckenridge traveling over the Houser pass with my 62 loaded down with tools and such never had a problem granted i wasn't hauling ass but i also used the transmission to help slow down the landcruiser never road the brakes once maybe its your driving technique. Brakes will fade on any vehicle if you just ride the brakes the whole time.
Tommy

Definitely a bit of technique, but the Aspen Mtn summer road is significantly steeper than Hoosier Pass.

 

[Seth S]

You probably don’t need to do a full mechanical part swap. I’d start with a brake fluid flush and see how things feel. Then if still no good get new front pads. Only do the rotors and drums if they are old and warm out or really rusty etc

 

[60Works]

You probably don’t need to do a full mechanical part swap. I’d start with a brake fluid flush and see how things feel. Then if still no good get new front pads. Only do the rotors and drums if they are old and warm out or really rusty etc

This is bad advice. Listen to OSS. If you've heated your brakes to the point of fade, the pads are compromised. Period. Pads, even OEM, are less than $100 and easy to change. You'd be crazy not to replace them.

 

[Seth S]

This is bad advice. Listen to OSS. If you've heated your brakes to the point of fade, the pads are compromised. Period. Pads, even OEM, are less than $100 and easy to change. You'd be crazy not to replace them.

my advice is do one thing at a time and see what changes. Start with the brake fluid because it most likely needs to be done anyways. Once the fluid is done go drive around the block and see how things feel.

then do the pads and shoes. By all means if they pads and shoes are already worn or if the rotors and drums are worn then replace them too. But if the rotors and drums are quite new then do the shoes and pads first.

 

[MoaByte]

Sometimes I use low range because 1st gear won't hold her back enough. When I do brake, I brake hard then let the rotors cool down before doing it again. Sometimes I'm even slower going down hill then up.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

could also have a brake caliper sticking or stuck

 

[tmxmotorsports]

Sometimes I use low range because 1st gear won't hold her back enough. When I do brake, I brake hard then let the rotors cool down before doing it again. Sometimes I'm even slower going down hill then up.

Fj62 slow both ways lol

 

[Seth S]

Fj62 slow both ways lol

I find the aerodynamics are quite good at slowing the truck down....pretty much as soon as I take my foot off the gas

 

[Seth S]

Also for future note a lot of people get into trouble with brakes from lightly to medium pressure riding the brakes to maintain a given speed. This builds heat and prevents cooling. Your front rotors have the advantage of being vented and this helps quite a bit to keep things cool as compared to the older solid rotors. Your drums however are still just one surface.

better to do a brake application to bring the speed down and then let off the brakes So they can cool a bit.

if you see a lot of steep twisty downhill driving in your future you might want to do some pad research and find something that works better as it heats up. Most fj60 braking is done at a relatively cold temperature. In the old days you had to give up cold braking performance for hot braking performance and vice versa. Thankfully brake pad tech has come a long way and there are lots of pad compounds. Is that handle wider heat ranges with improved performance.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

I find the aerodynamics are quite good at slowing the truck down....pretty much as soon as I take my foot off the gas

Yup i live in flat land on a 5 lane hwy that is the main way to get to the outer banks nc the beach so every fn touron is in a big ass hurry to get to their expensive ass beach house rental Friday Saturday Sunday I PULL out of my drive way and i am the a****** because my 62 doesn't haul ass i have avoided many accidents

 

[MoaByte]

That moment when you drive extra slow to annoy tourists and a tourist pulls out in front of you to drive even slower...