Cloudy brake fluid and back of tire spray pattern.

[69rangerman]

I pour clean in and the next day it's cloudy gray/green? Reason?...

Also, the back of the rear driver side tire has a spray pattern and the lower 1/3 of the back plate is damp. I know somethings not right but can anybody tell me from this info? I know squat about brakes but have a feeling I'm about to learn alot.

Funny...my truck has always pulled to the right when braking hard but since I've noticed this leak she brakes straight. Weird.

Thanks

[fordman]

the wheel cylinder has gone bad. you will need a new one. they can be rebuilt only if you can find a kit for them.

[69rangerman]

Are we talking newbie job, or should I spring for a shop on this one?

Thanks fordman.

[theskytoucher]

Go For it!!!!! Might as well learn now and not on the side of the road!!!!! Rear brakes arent hard at all, but you'll want to buy a set of brake tools they make the job so much less frustrating!!!the fronts are a little harder but thats only because of the wheel bearings!!!!!

[fordman]

here si a good recent picture to show what you will be doing if you do it. this is of the front drivers side. the rear is very similar maybe even exactly the same i can't remember its been several years since i touched my brakes. the hardest part for me was getting the rear drums off. they are a pain sometimes. they are usually rusted on. http://www.fordification.com/forum/download.php?id=6699

[Heavenlyfire]

Just buy a new one and go for it. It's not that hard of a job and if you have any questions there will almost always be someone on here to answer them for you pretty quickly. Plus, you will feel like a god after your done, then it is on to the next project .

[lightning_msd]

watch those springs at the front, i had one of those flying at my face, dont remember how it happend but it did

[Blue Cloud]

I love the smell of brake fluid in the morning!

[69rangerman]

As always I appreciate the encouragement to jump into another mess!

Think I'll wait til I have the cooling system/head gasket question answered before I tell my wife that "one more thing" needs to be done before it's truly my daily driver. I'll have to bum the company truck again.

I think I'm discovering an un-written rule of thumb regarding maintiaining improving older vehicles:

The necessity of the next repair is directly proportional to the successful outcome of the last repair. All you're doing is moving the "weak link" to some other area of the truck.

[ICEMAN6166]

the brake fluid gets cloudy because the new mixes with the old in the system.
unless you replace all the parts with fluid in them, mc,lines and wheel cylinders you will still get that.even power bleeding with a machine will not get out all the dirt inside old wheel cylinders.

[basketcase0302]

69Rangerman,

Whatever you do don't breathe the brake dust!

Get some aerosol brake cleaner or some purple stuff cause it's usually a pretty messy job And don't do it over nice clean concrete!

Digital camera is good too cause sometimes the spring arrangement throws some people off.

Basketcase

[ChiefRedcoles38]

Yes, sometimes it's very easy to forget how they go back together after a few drinks. Definitely take a picture if you can, esp if you don't do it too often!

[69rangerman]

Thanks for the warnings. I'll be studying up on it this week and maybe try it next week.

Thanks

[cooltoolguy]

may as well do em both if your going that far just my
if one went the may not be far behind