Milano brake hoses

[Fltrplntman@domain.elided]

Ever since I have owned my Milano Platinum, the front brakes have always 
grabbed slight delayed from each other. Step on the brakes and the car would 
slighty swerve to the right and then left, finally straightening up. Hmm. 
Posibly a bad caliper? Nahh, then it would only pull to one side. Hmm. No 
uneven wear on the pads or rotors.... Oh well, I'll look at it in the spring.
Well, due to my winter beater, (1984 Jaguar XJ6) blowing the power steering 
hose, I had to break out the Milano to get to work the next day. Just my 
flippin' luck! It managed to snow 3 inches over night,with a thin layer of 
ice under the snow. Well, I have to get to work, I'll just take the car down 
to the car wash for a chassis bath the next day.  Is it my opinion, or are 
the Milanos a handfull in the snow? 
On the way to work, I came to a down hill right hand turn. S-L-O-W-I-N-G way 
down for the turn, I started to push thru the turn. Backing off the brakes, I 
blipped the throttle to kick the rear end around to head up the street. 
Well.. bump went the front wheel into the curb. Not hard just 
ever-so-slightly. Slightly miffed, I checked the steering. Felt right. 
Continue up the road for another mile to the next light. A left turn. Uhh, it 
ain't steering, stab the gas flip it around the turn, miss the 4 ft. ditch. 
Darn it! I must have broken something. Get out look at the front wheels, 
still pointing in the same direction... Oh well, its straight all the way to 
work from here. while driving into the mill, the guard at the gate, yelled 
out the door that my passenger side wheel was locked.  aurgh!!!
Parked the car and clocked in. Now I'm REALLY MIFFED!!! I had to break out 
the Milano out of necessity, now this!!. By the time I finished work, the 
brake had released. By the time I got home, the front right caliper was 
smoking. Time to go into " Mr. Diagnosis" mode. 
AHHH HAA! Seems the brake hose has an internal leak and was pinching off the 
return flow when you let off the brake pedal. 2 new hoses from I.A.P. less 
than hours work, then bleeding the brakes. Wow what a difference!. Stops 
straight now and with less effort.  Lesson to be learned here? Don't always 
suspect a moving part to fail.  I had noticed that when I broke the hose 
loose from the caliper, pressure was released and the rotor turned free. 
 If you suspect your hoses, just have someone press the brake pedal while you 
grab the brake hose. If it swells, it a very good chance the hose is faulty. 
At $13.00 a piece, they are cheap insurance.  
Tim Timko
Warren, Ohio
88 Milano Platinum automatic
( Still for sale or part trade)

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