Hey guys,

Car is a 1980 242. While driving down the interstate last night there was a sudden and momentary (2 seconds) slight rumble shudder from the left rear wheel area, sort of like running over a rough patch of pavement. After about a mile, I could pull over, inspected tires, rims, underside, etc., and found nothing abnormal. Drove the remaining 4 miles home on local streets (approximately 35 mph) with a few traffic light stops etc. When I got home and took a closer look, I noticed that the left rear wheel was significantly warmer than the other 3, and there was a slight smell of a dragging/burning brake pad. Tonight I will get the car up, pull the wheels and see what's up. Any ideas what I should be looking for ? The weird thing is that this happened all of a sudden, WITHOUT any pressure on the brake pedal. I can understand a caliper locking up after braking and not releasing, but I had been driving for 10-15 miles at 65mph sice the last time the brakes were applied before that momentary shudder. Also, I can understand a parking brake perhaps not releasing, but again, it had been about 30 miles since the parking brake had been released. There is no sensation of anything dragging back there. Parking brake appears to engage and hold, and release when released. No sound of dragging or grinding.

As always, thanks to the assembled brain trust.

Thank again. I'll take a look tonight and report back what I find. Everything sounds pretty obvious adn straightforward. Keep those dieas coming, though incase there's an odd gotcha I need to look out for.

Mike

The parking brake issue is fairly easy to verify. Remove the caliper and rotor, and have a look. If the shoes are in good shape, I'd go with the brake hoses.
They are surprisingly cheap. I want to say we paid $7 or $9 or something for new ones from FCP.
Good luck!
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Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '87 244DL/M47- 229K, 88 744GLE- 218K, 82 245T-181K Also responsible for the care and feeding of: 88 745GLE, 231K, 87 244DL, 239K, 88 245DL, 246K

Recently, I backed up my 244 and one wheel locked up. It "broke" free when I put it in drive and gave it some gas. Fortunately, this happened in front fo my own house.

It felt like the passenger rear, so I took off that wheel, caliper, and when I got the rotor off, the braking material from BOTH parking brake shoes fell out on the ground. Even though the steel part was still atached properly, the braking material had separated and had been floating around inside the drum. I could see how if something like that happened to you, a piece might randomely get "stuck" where it would rub continuously.

I was not able to get those shoes from any of the local parts shops. I am waiting for them to arrive from Groton.

Don't know if this is your issue, but if it is it's pretty obvious.

Good luck.
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Andy in St. Paul, '91 745 Regina 190K mi, '89 244 137K, '87 245 RIP

I suspect the same problem I had with my 164. Unbelievably the brake hose
swelled shut and acted like a check (Czech?) valve, allowing the high pressure
through to apply the brake but not allowing the low pressure back through to
release it. This has been a serious problem on the 140/164 models, and several
companies have put out better brake lines to eliminate this problem.

I don't know enough about the 240s to be able to say with certainty that this
is the problem but it sure does sound like it.

BTW I represent the "Experience Trust" a lot better than the "Brain Trust".
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George Downs, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Central US

Thanks, George,

Sounds plausible. The rubber hoses on the rear are old, and were scheduled for replacement either this weekend or whenever a free afternoon presented itself. I wonder if opening the bleed nipple will give a spurt of brake fluid, thus indicating the existence of pressure even at rest ?

Oh, and brains ain't nothin without experience !!

Mike

My quick and dirty check has been "if it doesn't drip when you open the
bleed valve....." I doubt if there is enough pressure to give a notable
squirt, or in other words the first drop of fluid will relieve what pressure
there is. Supposedly fluid doesn't compress. (If the pressure is high enough,
it does, but we're talking 50,000 psi, well above brake system pressures.)
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George Downs, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Central US

My money is on the Parking Brake Shoe Shedding theory.

I've seen it several times over the years (with varying symptoms). And though I've heard of the Brake Line / Check Valve theory, I've never seen it on a 240 (and saw only 1 case of swelling lines — on an '89 that was in all ways a lemon).

I have a 92,000 mile '73 142 with original brake hoses that show no signs of problems except for some age checking.

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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.