I drove my family and inlaws around Kansas City today and upon heading back home something went awry with my '94 80. After about 15 miles of freeway driving I took an exit and began to slow down. Before coming to a stop it bucked and jerked while making a metallic scraping noise, and rather violently came to a halt while still running and staying in gear. It wouldn't budge.
At this point I was partway in the intersection so I attempted to move the vehicle to a safer spot further down the road. Fortunately, It moved freely and without drama... for a short while. Twenty feet down the road the front right made a thumping noise followed by a few loud, metallic grinding noises accompanied with violent, jerking braking motions. Again, the vehicle wouldn't move in drive, reverse, tranny in neutral, transfer case in neutral, you name it. Fxxx.
I crawled underneath and began an inspection clouded by frustration over what had just happened, and that my father-in-law/GM Master Tech was looming over my shoulder undoubtedly thinking this wouldn't have happened in his Tahoe or either of his Impalas. The first place my mind went is that something went wrong during my front axle rebuild about 1,000 miles ago and was just now rearing it's ugly head. There were no worrisome noises and everything looked dry. The front pinion seal leaks, but not nearly enough to have drained the diff dry.
Moments later, my dad showed up and tried moving it (against my wishes). It first moved freely but lurched to a stop a few yards later. The tow truck came a few minutes after that. I was watching his every move like a hawk. Surprisingly, it rolled on the flatbed without drama.
My dad and I followed the 80 and tow truck driver to my local Toyota dealer. After settling with the driver and talking about the 6.7 Cummins in his truck, I crawled back under my cruiser for a closer look.
I spotted it! The bottom caliper bolt had fallen out of the front, passenger side caliper, causing it to swing up and lodge against the inside of the wheel. I have a fairly deep gouge inside the wheel. This occurrence is frustrating as I torqued the caliper bolts to factory specs when wrapping up the front axle job. Grrr...
ANYWAY... What is super strange is another symptom that came up after I first came to a stop, before the tow truck came - before my family and I even exited the vehicle on the side of the road.
The motor began to idle rough and eventually the check engine light illuminated. Anything above idle is butter smooth. The symptoms were still there after coming off the tow truck at the dealer. It starts as it usually would, but settles into what I can best describe as a bad miss. It doesn't hesitate, die, smoke, knock, or smell. Oil pressure and temps are good. I just replaced the plugs PCV valve and hose. The truck ran and drove top notch prior today's incident. I just can't think of anything that would link the engine symptoms with the brake issue.
Any thoughts?
PS - I'm so fortunate the brake issue didn't occur while traveling 70mph with my one year old daughter...
At this point I was partway in the intersection so I attempted to move the vehicle to a safer spot further down the road. Fortunately, It moved freely and without drama... for a short while. Twenty feet down the road the front right made a thumping noise followed by a few loud, metallic grinding noises accompanied with violent, jerking braking motions. Again, the vehicle wouldn't move in drive, reverse, tranny in neutral, transfer case in neutral, you name it. Fxxx.
I crawled underneath and began an inspection clouded by frustration over what had just happened, and that my father-in-law/GM Master Tech was looming over my shoulder undoubtedly thinking this wouldn't have happened in his Tahoe or either of his Impalas. The first place my mind went is that something went wrong during my front axle rebuild about 1,000 miles ago and was just now rearing it's ugly head. There were no worrisome noises and everything looked dry. The front pinion seal leaks, but not nearly enough to have drained the diff dry.
Moments later, my dad showed up and tried moving it (against my wishes). It first moved freely but lurched to a stop a few yards later. The tow truck came a few minutes after that. I was watching his every move like a hawk. Surprisingly, it rolled on the flatbed without drama.
My dad and I followed the 80 and tow truck driver to my local Toyota dealer. After settling with the driver and talking about the 6.7 Cummins in his truck, I crawled back under my cruiser for a closer look.
I spotted it! The bottom caliper bolt had fallen out of the front, passenger side caliper, causing it to swing up and lodge against the inside of the wheel. I have a fairly deep gouge inside the wheel. This occurrence is frustrating as I torqued the caliper bolts to factory specs when wrapping up the front axle job. Grrr...
ANYWAY... What is super strange is another symptom that came up after I first came to a stop, before the tow truck came - before my family and I even exited the vehicle on the side of the road.
The motor began to idle rough and eventually the check engine light illuminated. Anything above idle is butter smooth. The symptoms were still there after coming off the tow truck at the dealer. It starts as it usually would, but settles into what I can best describe as a bad miss. It doesn't hesitate, die, smoke, knock, or smell. Oil pressure and temps are good. I just replaced the plugs PCV valve and hose. The truck ran and drove top notch prior today's incident. I just can't think of anything that would link the engine symptoms with the brake issue.
Any thoughts?
PS - I'm so fortunate the brake issue didn't occur while traveling 70mph with my one year old daughter...
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