Steering, Brakes & Vacuum pressure related?

[The_Handier_Man1]

From: Liv42dayOK  (Original Message)
Sent: 1/21/2006 3:15 PM

Hello again!

My 2 primary conditions since I got my Chieftain last month, are 1) The wandering and 2) having to really lean into the brake pedal when I'm stopping. It stops okay, but always seemed like it should stop better.

So... This morning after I put my license plates on, I stuck my head under the front for a quick lookie-loo... Behind the front passenger side wheel is 2 big canisters that look like vaccum canisters to me. Anyway, the rearmost one had a connection on top but nothing connected to it. Nearby was a small hose dangling lazily. So I put the hose back where it belongs. (Side note: the top of the canister with the disconnected hose was pretty oily/dirty.)

Anyway, the brakes felt much better. I drove it this evening and it stopped like I think it should. I can feel them taking hold right away and if I really step into it, it rocks forward appropriately. The steering also seemed easier to keep in my lane.

Does this seem plausibe/possible? Can the loss from that small hose affect the brakes and steering? How much of the steering is hydraulic versus vacuum? I (probably obviously) know nothing about how it works?

Thoughts? (sorry it's long).

Allan



From: Slantsixness
Sent: 6/8/2005 6:55 AM

The vacuum line doesn't have anything to do with the steering, except making your engine run a little lean.... It's possible you just had flat spots in the tires when you first drove it and they've worked themselves out.

You have to have both hydrovac boosters connected or you have manual brakes! I'm suprised that you were able to even drive it with any comfort at all without the one booster connected. it takes almost 100 pounds of foot pressure on the pedal to bypass the hydrovac boosters... makes for really big calf muscles!

Check a thread here called "winnie wanders" you may want to check and adjust your steering box. It's worth a check at least.

Tom 



From: denison
Sent: 6/8/2005 9:44 PM

If one of your boosters was working a little, and the other one wasnt working, then one side of your front axle brakes would have had some assist, the other would not have. This would lead to some -pulling- that you would have to correct for with the steering wheel. I think your brakes are like mine; one half of the system works on one front wheel and 1 of the 2 wheel cylinders on each rear wheel. The other half of the system works on the other front wheel, and the other 1 of the 2 wheel cylinders on each rear wheel.
And when you bleed your brakes, also bleed those boosters! They are Bendix Hydrovacs.



From: AllanCZ
Sent: 6/9/2005 3:23 PM

Thanks for all the comments and insight everyone.