So this is my first of many posts I'm sure.

She is a 75 fj 40 and she is beautiful, she has lived a few miles away for years now she will be mine! But when I went for a "test drive" the owner had her backed out of the driveway fired up purring like an angry kitten. He said he had drove her around the block and parked her for my arrival. As I tried to drive her the brake pedal would not depress an the front brakes are locked up. This was not the case only 15 minutes prior. I am thinking maybe some gunk in the MC, but I don't know why this would not let the pedal depress and keep the front brakes locked. She is pretty stock still has strait six, trans and the like is their an electrical component I am missing to cause such a symptom ?
This will not in anyway keep me from this lovely girl, but she still sits at his house not mine. Do I tow her or is their an easy street side check list as loading her with the front brakes on would SUCK!

Thanks for your help

Moved to the correct forum.

it is a toyota thing used to be the brakes, now it is the gas sticking.

Ok I think it may be the wheel cylinder's, It fixed itself and I drove it from saltlake to parkcity. On the way up at about 06:00 it was smooth sailing except for the steering but thats another question, So very little braking no traffic strait in. But on the way out of PC in rush hour traffic lots of braking and it happened, the rear driver's side froze to the point that 4 low would not move her. I called the wife and she drove 45 minutes by the time she arrived the old girl rolled on the car hauler with no effort. Wheel cylinder's! I'll check this weekend. I'll let ya know, Is their anything else that comes to mind while I'm in there cleaning and lube'n? I'm open to any input.

replace the master cylinder, and the rear wheel cylinders. Replace the brake lines, and swap the front drums for later model discs or toyota mini truck discs. even better, swap the rear to discs as well.

Then tear out all of the factory steering and install GM saginaw power steering. Now you'll be on the correct path!

replace the master cylinder, and the rear wheel cylinders. Replace the brake lines, and swap the front drums for later model discs or toyota mini truck discs. even better, swap the rear to discs as well.

Then tear out all of the factory steering and install GM saginaw power steering. Now you'll be on the correct path!

I replaced the MC, wheel cylinders (all 8 :eek:) and brake pads... stops just fine :homer:

BUT... a big X2 on the Saginaw PS conversion though :smokin:

Don't waste money on anything but 4 wheel disk brakes.
Thank me later.
PMK

WOW

You guys cut trough the sh!t and go straight for the (right) solution!
But I am, was a log home builder, Now ski patrol at a local resort.Soon to be in the medic program, but still the father of three 15 year olds, thus the cruiser.
So funds are low now I am looking for the 10 hour $18.97 fix not the 4 hour $600 fix (I will do disc when I can) That being said I have started in the front Where the problem first presented. As I have disassembled the front brakes I had my eight year old press the pedal and the drivers side moves great BUT the passengers side has an issue. The piston looking at the wheel on the right side of the hub or the front of the truck came out, really, it pushed out and was bound "open" to the point it was leaking fluid from the piston. Like it was pushed (out). As I think about this problem it tells me that this faulty piston has less friction and the other three as well as this one need to be taken apart inspected and cleaned and greased. I will follow the same protocol in the rear. It looks to me the brakes have maybe 5-10,000 miles on them and when it stops it stops well till a piston is stuck :mad3: so I will drive the beast this summer not the rookie drivers. Can you guys think of anything else to look for this weekend? while I'm down to da hubs?

Kind Regards
Thanks for the help

Let me get this right.
You removed the front drums and pressed on the brakes and it pushed a cup all the way out? That will happen when there is nothing stoppping it from coming out. Normally the drums hold the shoes in place and when the shoe contacts the drum pressure rises and the other cups push out untill they have the shoes firmy planted in the drum (and you coast to stop eveantually).

Now that the system is open, may as well do visuals on all the cylinders. Hone and replace cups as needed. Bleed, bleed some more. adjust, bleed, adjust, adjust, adjust.

drive

Adjust, adjust, adjust, bleed, adjust, adjust

buy disk brakes - hide credit card bill.
drive, stop, drive, stop, drive, stop, etc... be HAPPY!
Hope this helps!
PMK

You may end up spending more money and time trying to fix those crappy drum brakes rather than doing a disc swap. Most of this have gone through this already many years ago. Perhaps youre drums have been turned too many times already.

with some research, you can atleast swap the front to discs, and deal with the rear. Since those wheel cylinders cost so much, you may wanna consider bypassing one wheel cylinder on each side of the rear and using one known good one on each side. That will save you from buying new ones. Just a thought.

http://www.reno4x4.com/forum/showthread.php/39571-fj-40-front-diff-housing-and-disco-conversion

Thank you all! PYGPEN I will follow your advice, the brakes look great the four wheel cylinders don't look 35 years old maybe they have been "done" the truck stops great ............... a little too great. I will check them all out and swap out all the lines as needed. I hope this resolves my issue.

The most cost effective solution would be to get a gas pedal from a Prius. I hear they are giving used ones out for free at you local Toyota dealership.