Suburban Cowboy
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Fairfield County, CT
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.
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.