100% MARK UP ON AUTO PARTS!!

[rvpopeye]

Part of brake lines providing flex..the rubber breaks down on the inside and restricts fre flow of fluid causing the brakes to stick in ON position.
Heating up to self destruction point of the rotors ,pads , drums , shoes ,,,,,
The front ones connect the L&R calipers to the solid brake line on the body/frame.
The rear one is between the line on body to a T fitting on the rear end splitting the fluid to 2 solid lines to left and right rear wheel cylinders.

[Gr8ful]

Here in Michigan the steel brakelines rust out at the very bottom where it's not coated as they need room to move the nut. So why coat the rest? Why not make them out of quality SS as brakes are important.

[rvpopeye]

Nickel-Copper lines is the std. replacement for rusted out brake lines up here in East Coast Alaska .

Just did my rig couple of years back , errrr 4 years back.
Haven't been on road much but they still shine !
but
The couplers etc. rusted a bit right off the bat. painted 'them.
Should have painted the calipers too.
The crappy calipers rusted before I pulled the rig out of the garage ...heche en mexico.
The OE cali's had almost no rust since 1981......
I should have rebuilt 'em .
lesson learned.

[MN C Van]

Old Mechanic's Rule #1; what's good is good, what's bad is bad. The older I get, the more I appreciate this wisdom- Essentially; let a sleeping dog lie, or, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If you can't jack it up, remove the tire and inspect the components yourself, pay or cajole someone to remove it so you can inspect the brakes.

Excellent you observed the backing plates for seeping brake fluid!!!!!

Rear hubs? Is it a full floating axle? Don't understand how it would have rear hubs unless it's a FWD.

[MN C Van]

Really, really simple way to check for dragging brakes;
When you roll to a stop and are at about 1/2 MPH, put the vehicle in neutral.
Observe whether it rolls to a stop or there's a brake dragging.
You can also feel around the wheels for a hot brake, and smell for burning friction material.

[Texjbird]

Rear hubs? Is it a full floating axle? Don't understand how it would have rear hubs unless it's a FWD.

YUP!  I GUESS JIM WHALEY TIRES MUST HAVE INTERCOURSED UP ON THAT ONE.   IT'S A RWD

You can also feel around the wheels for a hot brake, and smell for burning friction material.

WHOOEE! I KNOW THAT BURNING SMELL ANYWHERE!  RIGHT AFTER MOVING BACK TO AL  I HAD JUST MADE A RIGHT TURN AND I GUESS WHEN I SLOWED FOR THAT TURN THE WIND SHIFTED AND I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE RANGER. 

THE LEFT FRONT HUB WAS SO HOT I BURNT MY HAND WHEN I TOUCHED IT.  THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THAT WAS I HAD JUST LEFT THE INTERSTATE ABOUT 6 MILES BACK AND THE RANGER HAD JUST BEEN ZIPPING ALONG RUNNING WITH THE BIG BOYS WITH NO NOISE FROM THE WHEEL.  ALSO NO SLOW DOWN DUE TO A DRAGGING BRAKE.  AFTER SITTING A WHILE THE HUB COOLED DOWN AND I CREEPED IN TO TOWN.  I REALLY AND TRULY HATE DRIVING SLOW.

THAT WASN'T AS EXCITING AS WHEN I WAS WORKING IN BROWSVILLE TX.  SAME THING HAPPENED ON MY 1967 CHEVELLE WITH CHROME CRAGER MAGS.......I WAS BY MYSELF.........6mo PREGNANT.......IN MATAMOROS MEXICO.
WELL AT LEAST THAT TRIP WASN'T VERY BORING.

    QUEEEENIEEEE!  ROAD TRIP!!!   SHE KNOWS WHAT ROAD TRIP MEANS!

JEWELL ANN

[Texjbird]

TODAY I HAD A ROLLER COASTER RIDE WITHOUT BUYING A DAMN TICKET OR STANDING LINE.
  I'M SUCH A LUCKY LADY!

HIGH POINT.........

 THE SAFARI WENT TO L & K CUSTOM EXHAUST AND AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR FOR BRAKES/SHOCKS.  

MY RIDE HOME WAS A BEEUTIFUL RED MUSTANG WITH WIDE TIRES,  A PERFECT SOUNDING ENGINE AND A EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT SOUNDS 100% BETTER THAN THE CRAPPY WINDOW SHAKING BASS THUMPING MUSIC I HAVE TO LISTEN TO AS THE LOCAL JERKS PASS MY HOME ON A DAILY BASIS.  I DID ASK LON WHILE STILL AT THE SHOP IF HE WOULD SING "MUSTANG SALLY" ON MY RIDE HOME.  HE SAID  "NO"   I SAID "WELL HELL" AND A OLDER DUDE IN THE WAITING ROOM CRACKED UP      

THE FRONT BRAKES AND SHOCKS WERE $238 FOR PARTS AND LABOR..  THE SAFARI DID NOT NEED CALIPERS ON THE FRONT.  THE REAR BRAKES ARE FINE.  WE WILL ADD  BETTER SHOCKS, COIL SPRINGS, OR AIR BAGS TO THE REAR IF NEEDED.  LON SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW I WAS PLANNING ON CARRYING SO MUCH STUFF IN/ON THE VAN IF I WASN'T TOWING THE ALINER.
********************************************************
LOW POINTS

NEW MOTOR INSTALLED IN PASSENGER WINDOW.    LEFT THE SHOP AT CLOSING TIME.    IT WORKED!   ONCE
AFTER AUTO ZONE DUDE PUT IN MY NEW RIGHT SIDE TAIL LIGHTS A FEW DAYS AGO THEY WORKED.  THEN THEY DIDN'T
THE WIRING HARNESS HAS BEEN SPLICED AND ONE OF THE SOCKETS IS NOT THE RIGHT SIZE.  DUDE SAID MAY BE BECAUSE IT'S A CONVERSION VAN?  I'LL CALL THE SHOP THAT HAS ALL OF GLAVAL'S VAN CONVERSION STUFF AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY.  ANY IDEAS ON WHAT MIGHT FIX THIS? 

 LON HAS ORDERED A SURPLUS PART FOR THE "WHATCHA MA CALL IT" IN THE DASH THAT TELLS THE HEAT AND AIR WHERE I WANT IT TO GO.  MAYBE HE KNOWS A SOURCE FOR TAIL LIGHT SNAFU?

ANOTHER LOW POINT

STUCK IN MY SCREEN DOOR HANDLE TODAY.  A NOTICE THAT THERE IS A "PLANNED HOME INVASION"  SCHEDULED BEGINING MAY 6 AND GOING THROUGH MAY 8 IF NEEDED.

 THAT IS POSSIBLY 3 DAYS OF MY LIFE SO THEY CAN TEST THE SMOKE DETECTORS IN OUR HALLWAYS????  
THIS IS THE PART WHERE I SAY UGLY THINGS THAT START WITH  "THEM"  "THEIR MAMA'S" AND THE HORSES THEY RODE INTO TOWN ON.  MAYBE THEIR SPOUSES AND THEIR HOUND DOGS TOO.
WHOOPS!  I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE OUT THEIR TRUCKS AND MOTORCYCLES TOO!
**************************************************************
HIGH POINT

Q AND I WENT TO THE STORAGE UNITS  YESTERDAY.  I OPENED ONE UNIT AND THOUGHT I'D BEEN ROBBED!  JOKES ON ME      I'D FORGOTTON HOW MUCH I'D EITHER GIVEN  TO A FRIEND OR HAULED TO THE DUMPSTER.
***************************************************************

THIS WAS INTENDED AS A UPDATE ON SAFARI REPAIRS AND ENDED WITH A RANT ON "HOME INVASIONS"

IT JUST ALREADY REALLY IRKS ME THAT DUE TO MY HEALTH ISSUES I CAN'T WORK  AND MAKE THE SAME PROGRESS I COULD JUST 18mo AGO.  THEN ON TOP OF IT I HAVE TO STOP WHAT I'M DOING AND TAKE THE TIME TO PUT THINGS BACK IN CLOSETS OR CABINETS SO MY APT. WILL NOT BE " CLUTTERED UP THROUGHOUT " AND NEED TO BE REINSPECTED, THIS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE.

 SERIOUSLY NOW!  ONCE BEFORE ON A "PEST CONTROL INSPECTION" WHERE NO ONE WAS ANYWHERE IN MY APT EXCEPT THE KITCHEN!  BETWEEN THEM AND THE REST OF THE APT. WAS A DOG GATE, A "I'LL EAT YOU STARTING WITH YOUR ANKLES" CHIHUAHUA, A HIGHLY P.Od ME WITH A BIG FALSE SMILE ON MY FACE  AND A LONG THICK CURTAIN HANGING IN THE DOORWAY FOR AC/HEATING" CONTROL.  MY APT.  FAILED THAT INSPECTION AND IT TOOK ME 60 DAYS TO GET THEM OFF MY BACK.  LOW AND BEHOLD MY APT HADN'T "REALLY" FAILED ........IT WAS A MISTAKE BY A NEW EMPLOYEE THAT I RECEIIVED THE LETTER.

ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I RETURNED TO AL WAS TO RECONNECT WITH MY MOM AND FAMILY.  MOM PASSED AWAY LAST JUNE,  MY SON HAS RETURNED NORTH LAST FALL AND MY SISTER AND HER TRIBE ARE APPARENTLY NO LONGER SPEAKING TO ME. SO FAMILY CONCERNS ARE NO LONGER HOLDING ME HERE.  JUST MY CRAPPY HEALTH AND TRYING TO GET THE SAFARI AND ALINER SET UP WHERE I'LL BE BOTH CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE TRAVELING WITH THEM.

 ON A LOT OF DAYS I'D JUST RATHER TALK TO QUEENIE HEY! I HEARD THAT!

JEWELL ANN AND QUEENIE

[rvpopeye]

Auto electrical:
No guesses , could be anywhere.
The previous mickey mouse repairs to the harness are the first place to look though.
Home invasion:
I think you might use the "popeye eye" and tell them your observations.....
I goes like this.
"You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny .
Your truck is funny , your dog is funny and your wife ,,,,well , you're the good lookin' one."
Might also be a good idea to say it to yourself instead of out loud (and the fake smile can be devastating if you point it properly),,, at least till you give them your moving out notice....


Iffin' yer inna hurry , Just use the first part .......

[Baloo]

I have never had any luck trying to fix a spliced harness. I always just cut back before the splice and start over. A good multimeter is your friend here. Remove any and all crimp splices, wire nuts and t-splices (they are every electrician’s nightmare) on automotive wiring. Use either a soldering iron or marine grade butt splices and cover with heat shrink for your connections. The auto parts stores sell light bulb sockets for all the major brands, so your van should be covered. If you buy the Hanes or Chilton’s repair manual it will include the wiring diagrams. Then just go one wire at a time verifying wire color to location and repair/replace as necessary. Good luck!


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[rvpopeye]

AMEN BRO !
Mic drop.