[afcajun]

Has anyone else had this problem with their Tacoma? Seems like ever time I wheel up and down steep slopes air gets into my braklines. The air doesn't enter for any other reason, I could go wheeling all day long and be fine but as soon as I do some steep uphill and downhill stuff and have to use my brakes the pedal never stays firm after. It's not total mush, just won't hold firm like it should. By the way my truck is a 2002 extended cab V6 TRD with the 6 inch fabtech lift running 35" X-Terrains. I read the sticky didn't want to leave my info out.

 

[afcajun]

Oh yea, I guess I left out the most important part...does anyone know what is causing this, is something faulty or broken, ideas, sugestions, anything would be greatly appreciated.

 

[hytenor]

Has anyone else had this problem with their Tacoma? Seems like ever time I wheel up and down steep slopes air gets into my braklines. The air doesn't enter for any other reason, I could go wheeling all day long and be fine but as soon as I do some steep uphill and downhill stuff and have to use my brakes the pedal never stays firm after. It's not total mush, just won't hold firm like it should. By the way my truck is a 2002 extended cab V6 TRD with the 6 inch fabtech lift running 35" X-Terrains. I read the sticky didn't want to leave my info out.

you need to completely bleed your system. you should have NO air in your lines. check your rez and see if its full first.

air isn't getting into your brakes; its already there for some reason

 

[afcajun]

Thanks for the advice but I already did that multiple times. Air had to have gotten in there somehow in the first place. After completly ridding the system of the air it got in there again, like I said, happens when I wheel steep slopes, I was really hoping someone had this problem before.

 

[flatlandtacoma]

Thanks for the advice but I already did that multiple times. Air had to have gotten in there somehow in the first place. After completly ridding the system of the air it got in there again, like I said, happens when I wheel steep slopes, I was really hoping someone had this problem before.

A REALLY low resevoir level and a REALLY steep slope could let air into the system through the master cylinder. Try topping off your resevoir and see if that helps prevent getting air in.

 

[afcajun]

Resevoir is full. Ok I guess I should have put this all in my first post, sorry. Ok first time it happened I kinda freaked because the way the pedal was slowly mashing and not stopping, I've heard that was the sign of a bad master cylinder, well knowing my truck is an 02 model i highley doubted it was the master cylinder so I bled the heck out of them and fixed the problem. I then tried to figure out what it could be and talked to a few people and we just guessed that for some reason on high angles air is getting in. I keep it topped off all the way to the full line because i know of the problem, but still on high angles they get the same way they were before. Now considering how many rockcrawlers are on this forum I'm just figured one of you would have a quick fix for me but I'm getting the vibe that this doesn't happen to many of you if any at all. So now that i have told you what i have done is there anything else besides topping off the level of fluid and bleeding the lines completly anyone can think of? I never saw any post on this problem before and never heard of any mod to fix the problem, that's why i had to post. I've been reading these forums for a long time but never had to post till now. By the way these fourms are great and have helped me many times, I was starting to wonder if i would ever get the chance to leave my mark by way of a thread.

 

[flatlandtacoma]

Well, you have a leak somewhere. You just have to find it.

 

[afcajun]

Ok, I'll check over everything tomorrow. Seems very logical being that the problem didn't start till after I installed the lift last March, and it only occurs when I really have to mash down on the breaks like on steep slopes, I guess I need to check the breaklines where we messed with them for the lift. I don't remember seeing anything out of the ordinary anytime i was under my truck, but I never really looked for a leak because I was so hung up on the idea of air getting into the system somehow. Thanks for the help, I'll post my findings tomorrow after I take a look at it.

 

[joeylead]

Has anyone else had this problem with their Tacoma? Seems like ever time I wheel up and down steep slopes air gets into my braklines. The air doesn't enter for any other reason, I could go wheeling all day long and be fine but as soon as I do some steep uphill and downhill stuff and have to use my brakes the pedal never stays firm after. It's not total mush, just won't hold firm like it should. By the way my truck is a 2002 extended cab V6 TRD with the 6 inch fabtech lift running 35" X-Terrains. I read the sticky didn't want to leave my info out.

One thing is that with the 35" tires your braking will be very different that with stock ones. When i did my fabtech lift, I also installed stainless lines, drilled/slotted rotors and ceramic pads to help offset this. Also, when you bled the lines, did you bleed the BPV valve? If you look at the junction where the metal lines become rubber, there is a bleeder. I never bled that part and have to because my pedal is a bit mushy.

 

[hytenor]

Thanks for the advice but I already did that multiple times. Air had to have gotten in there somehow in the first place. After completly ridding the system of the air it got in there again, like I said, happens when I wheel steep slopes, I was really hoping someone had this problem before.

well, you are a first with this one, at least that I can remember
After this happens did you check the rez and notice it low?

have you noticed any brake fluid leaking anywhere? Since you have the 6" kit and the brake lines on the frame rail get pretty well stretched, that's where I'd start looking for leaks.

 

[afcajun]

Yes the breaking is different with 35's but when this happens you can tell it's something wrong not just the size difference. Now this BPV valve thing I don't believe I have done that before...I will have to go find it and try that. I only bled at the 4 corners. Ok and to answer your questions hytenor the rez is filled between the lines...seems like some has escaped because i could have sworn i filled it to the top line. I'm going look at the level and try to recall where it was filled to and I'll also look for leaks and find that BPV valve. Thanks guys you gave me a starting point.

 

[Boheefus]

you are supposed to air up the tires, not the brakes step away from the hose....


good luck though, these guys have given some good advice..

Boheefus

 

[hytenor]

Now this BPV valve thing I don't believe I have done that before. Ok and to answer your questions hytenor the rez is filled between the lines...seems like some has escaped because i could have sworn i filled it to the top line. I'm going look at the level and try to recall where it was filled to and I'll also look for leaks and find that BPV valve. Thanks guys you gave me a starting point.

I'm assuming that these 6" kits come with an extension bracket for the BPV, right? Having the valve adjusted properly makes a huge difference especially with 35s.

What i meant about the rez was...when you started out that day, was it full? And, after experiencing the problem, was the rez then low?

 

[Boheefus]

also check the seal around your resevoir lid. the barkes operate off of a vaccum so you may not have a visible leak on the outside, but it may suck air.....

it could happen

Boheefus

 

[hytenor]

also check the seal around your resevoir lid. the barkes operate off of a vaccum so you may not have a visible leak on the outside, but it may suck air.....

it could happen

Boheefus

good point, in which case he should visit the dealer for a new one under warranty

 

[afcajun]

Ok just got back from looking it all over. No sign whatsoever of leakage anywhere. I did feel really dumb though when i went straight to my BPV and saw the bleeder valve on it. I had no idea...oh well I should have refered to my manual for that one. I'll try to bleed it all again tomorrow including the BPV this time. And yes hytenor the kit did come with the extension braket. As far as i know it is correct, is there some way to test to see if it's right? As for the rez, when the problem started the rez was the same level as when i started that morning...but i tell you what i'm going to bleed everything like i said and then go out to the climbs and do everythign i did but i'll take close note to what the rez level is before and after. I have to kill time during lunch tomorrrow anyways so it'll work out good.

 

[afcajun]

haha warranty, i think that got voided somewhere between the lift kit, and the deck plate mod. I never bothered to take my truck in because i just figured warranty was void. But I will add checking the seal to my list of things to do tomorrow.

 

[afcajun]

Does anyone have that superlift spedo sensor adjuster thing installed on their rig? Just wondering what difference if any it made to your breaking with your larger tires. I find that when i really have to get on the breaks that my tires tend to lock up even when the ABS engages and sometimes right before the ABS engages. Not that i drive like a fool, just from experimenting and from a close call i had once, and today expeirmenting on the wet roads. I just would like to know if this unit really makes your abs work like it's supposed to with larger tires like they claim it does.

 

[hytenor]

Ok just got back from looking it all over. No sign whatsoever of leakage anywhere. I did feel really dumb though when i went straight to my BPV and saw the bleeder valve on it. I had no idea...oh well I should have refered to my manual for that one. I'll try to bleed it all again tomorrow including the BPV this time. And yes hytenor the kit did come with the extension braket. As far as i know it is correct, is there some way to test to see if it's right? As for the rez, when the problem started the rez was the same level as when i started that morning...but i tell you what i'm going to bleed everything like i said and then go out to the climbs and do everythign i did but i'll take close note to what the rez level is before and after. I have to kill time during lunch tomorrrow anyways so it'll work out good.

If you raised the position of the the bpv bracket up the same amount as your rear lift you should be ok. If you don't have ABS you can adjust your fr to rear braking very simply. If you have ABS w/o a rear locker it can be done as well but not quite as easily as hot having abs.

 

[afcajun]

It's raised just as much as the lift...it's the bracket that came with the lift kit...i haven't installed new leaf packs yet to get rid of the fabtech block and aal. I have the rear locker and abs. I'm going to take a real in depth look at my manual tomorrow, apperantly i need to know a lot more about my breaking system.