<164> Brake Pedal Stiffness

[bjanesi@xxxxxxxx (Bradley J. Anesi)]

 CBinns@domain.elided wrote...

>My other question has to do with my brake pedal stiffening up during hot
>wheather.  It happened quite often last summer and I had forgotten about
it
>because the wheather got cold but as temperatures soar, I am sure I will
>experience it again.  Something tells me that I am not the only one to
whom
>this has happened.  Again, suggestions, fixes?

Carl, have you bled your brakes and clutch (if applicable) lately? 
Sounds like your fluid might be boiling.  This would be the first thing
to do.  My next article in the AROC will cover this.

Next, you try an easy fix - there is a vacuum line which goes between the
brake booster and the intake manifold which employs a check-valve on the
brake booster end.  The check valve can fail and can easily be removed
from the brake booster, but not so easily removed from the hard plastic
vacuum line.  The intake manifold end is equally difficult to remove. 
I'll be replacing mine with a silicon rubber vacuum hose since the
existing line was almost worn through.  

If this doesn't work, there was an update to the master cylinder
somewhere along the line (not sure of the date), which was supposed to
have addressed the dragging rear brake problem some cars had - maybe this
will address your problem.

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