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Flaccid Brake Pedal / Steering knocked out of alignment?

Suburban Cowboy

NAXJA Forum User
Greetings, I'm a long time BMW enthusiast and home mechanic and this is my first SUV/truck. It's definitely a different ownership experience but I'm enjoying the contrasts so far. I've already fixed a couple of small issues that it came to me with, but I've got two new problems that I'd like some more experienced opinions on:

1) One morning I got in the car and started it, then put my foot on the brake to release the parking brake. I immediately noticed that the brake pedal went down much further to the floor than before. It's stayed that way for a few days now and never gone back to feeling right. I do not seem to have much if any diminished braking capability (nothing that stuck out to me in day to day operation, at least), just a pedal that goes way down to the floor.

Among other possibilities, preliminary research leads me to think my master cylinder is on it's way out. I have several days off from work coming up at the end of this week and would like to be ordering parts in the next couple of days so I can effect repairs. What do you think?

2) I went out and had a blast in the blizzard that hit us yesterday (it's a new feeling being able to drive in it, the BMW is not set up for snow operation). In the many hours I was out I did some donuts (pavement+grass, 2wd+4wd), much snowy road driving through varying depths, took a couple running starts to knock through a drift, and did some light wheeling off road in the snow. I now notice that when driving straight my steering wheel is canted roughly 90 degrees to the left; to put it perfectly straight causes me to veer to the right a small amount.

When I bought the Cherokee, it was more or less properly aligned with regards to wheels and steering wheel. I've gotten outside with the steering wheel in both positions and observed that the pitman arm appears to be straight in both cases, and that the wheels are (obviously) very slightly aimed toward the right when the wheel is properly aligned (maybe the passenger side moreso than the driver's?). I also had a noticeable shake at 60mph on the highway when I got on for 1 exit today but it could have been snow in the wheels causing them to be out of balance. Drag link and TRE do not appear to be noticeably bent.

Is it possible to have knocked my steering out of alignment as described through my antics in the snow? If so, how did I do it and how do I fix it? I'd like to know if I need a repair, 15 minutes in the driveway, or if I can just get it realigned at a shop for $90 and be done with it.

Thanks for any help.
 
Master cylinder reservoir was empty. Filled it up, turned it on, pumped the pedal several times and topped off the fluid. Feels great now. I never saw a puddle commensurate with how much and how quickly I lost fluid when this first happened. I'm going to give it a few days and see if I lose it again.

Still no idea on the steering alignment.
 
Think about it. Brakes are a closed system. That fluid went SOMEWHERE, it doesn't just evaporate. For a home mechanic, you should understand that clearly. Take it somewhere and get it fixed.
 
Think about it. Brakes are a closed system. That fluid went SOMEWHERE, it doesn't just evaporate. For a home mechanic, you should understand that clearly. Take it somewhere and get it fixed.

This.

And, if your M/cyl picked up air from being low on fluid, you've just pumped it into the rest of the brake system. A vacuum bleed and detailed inspection is indicated.
 
If that was an insult, it was a poor one. Great way to welcome a new member to the community though.

Think about it. Brakes are a closed system. That fluid went SOMEWHERE, it doesn't just evaporate. For a home mechanic, you should understand that clearly. Take it somewhere and get it fixed.

This.

And, if your M/cyl picked up air from being low on fluid, you've just pumped it into the rest of the brake system. A vacuum bleed and detailed inspection is indicated.
I never said the fluid just evaporated, only that I never saw where it went. Also, I've seen strange cases in my time wrenching where something leaked, was refilled and then never leaked again. I do plan on taking it somewhere to be looked at in the next several days for the leak as well as the steering.

I've manually bled and pressure bled before, is there something unique to the XJ system that renders a vacuum bleed preferable?
 
If that was an insult, it was a poor one. Great way to welcome a new member to the community though.
huh?


If your brakes are acting up, and you're not sure why, you need to either figure out why or bring it to the pros.
 
huh?


If your brakes are acting up, and you're not sure why, you need to either figure out why or bring it to the pros.
The video you posted did not pertain to either of my problems, although the title referenced searching before posting. Seemed like a rib to me.

I do plan on having it looked at by a professional, however how am I to figure out why the brakes are acting up without asking anyone?
 
If that was an insult, it was a poor one. Great way to welcome a new member to the community though.




I never said the fluid just evaporated, only that I never saw where it went. Also, I've seen strange cases in my time wrenching where something leaked, was refilled and then never leaked again. I do plan on taking it somewhere to be looked at in the next several days for the leak as well as the steering.

I've manually bled and pressure bled before, is there something unique to the XJ system that renders a vacuum bleed preferable?

A vacuum bleed is more thorough and easier to control - and a vacuum bleed kit is easier to get than a full-on pressure bleed kit.

This applies to all brake systems, I've found.

(Pressure bleed = largish pressurised reservoir of brake fluid, which is attached in place of the master cylinder cap.)
 
A vacuum bleed is more thorough and easier to control - and a vacuum bleed kit is easier to get than a full-on pressure bleed kit.

This applies to all brake systems, I've found.

(Pressure bleed = largish pressurised reservoir of brake fluid, which is attached in place of the master cylinder cap.)
I see. I already have the pressurized reservoir with MC cap for the BMW and found it easy enough to use. I may look into getting the proper cap to use it with the XJ as well since I've already invested in it.
 
Is it possible to have knocked my steering out of alignment as described through my antics in the snow?

Sounds like you hit something hiding in the snow and bent the tie rod. If so, upgrade it, it will bend again.
A ZJ V-8 tie road is a good off-the-shelf replacement.

You found the brake reservoir empty, had you checked it recently? As ChiXJeff said, its going somewhere.
If you see no signs of leakage, the master cylinder maybe leaking into the booster. Check the booster, looking for bubbling paint or fluid leaking out of it.
 
I see. I already have the pressurized reservoir with MC cap for the BMW and found it easy enough to use. I may look into getting the proper cap to use it with the XJ as well since I've already invested in it.

That's the best way to go - I just didn't know you had one. As I said, vacuum bleed kits are plentiful and relatively cheap, so I usually recommend that instead.
 
If that was an insult, it was a poor one. Great way to welcome a new member to the community though.
It probably wasn't against you. There is another member here that went from BMW to Jeep as well.... and well, he is mechanically challenged to a major degree.

As far as your brakes are concerned you probably have a leak someplace. Check the line from the front to the rear first. Look for wet spots (of course). It could be the rear brake cylinder as well, so look for some dripping from the rear brakes.
 
Cowboy,

I may have the same thing you're talking about with steering wheel. When I first got my XJ, the alignment was pretty off. It would veer off the road, and "straight" for the steering wheel was pointed 30 degrees clockwise. I never even bothered with the tire pressure since I was going to replace the dry rotted tires anyway. Once I replaced the 4 tires, the alignment issue was mostly gone. Now, the XJ will stay in the lane for a much longer distance if I let go of the wheel. However, the steering wheel is still off center in the neutral position. I think if I remove it and rotate it one "notch", I'd have a centered steering wheel, and a very slight alignment issue I could live with. Maybe you can try this yourself? I have no idea how it got this way. Maybe the PO removed the steering wheel and replaced it incorrectly rotated? I plan to explore this when I replace my broken clockspring (in the Spring, when it's over 50 degrees out)
 
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BimmerJeep....the steering wheel being "off-center" when going straight is an alignment problem...corrected by adjusting the link off of the pitman arm. Didn't you get an alignment with the new tires? When you get a professional alignment, they'll fix the steering wheel "off-center" issue...it's part of an alignment. Don't think about moving the steering wheel a "notch"...not t he issue here!
 
BimmerJeep....the steering wheel being "off-center" when going straight is an alignment problem...corrected by adjusting the link off of the pitman arm. Didn't you get an alignment with the new tires? When you get a professional alignment, they'll fix the steering wheel "off-center" issue...it's part of an alignment. Don't think about moving the steering wheel a "notch"...not t he issue here!

See Post #13.
 
BimmerJeep....the steering wheel being "off-center" when going straight is an alignment problem...corrected by adjusting the link off of the pitman arm. Didn't you get an alignment with the new tires? When you get a professional alignment, they'll fix the steering wheel "off-center" issue...it's part of an alignment. Don't think about moving the steering wheel a "notch"...not t he issue here!

I am holding off on an alignment because there are still some suspension parts I need to replace. They may or may not affect alignment, but the XJ drives ok for now.
 
I think if I remove it and rotate it one "notch", I'd have a centered steering wheel, and a very slight alignment issue I could live with. Maybe you can try this yourself?
Don't give advice when you have no idea what you are talking about.
 
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