Re: Driving With Two Brakes

On Apr 4, 6:30 pm, "Neil" <nos...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> What are the dangers of driving with two brakes? I just found out that
when
> my ex-wife took my teenage son's car in to be repaired last week, they
said
> there was a leak in the rear wheel cylindar, which was causing brake
fluid
> to go onto the brake shoes, causing there to be no rear brakes. She
declined
> to have it repaired because of the cost.
>
> How dangerous is it to drive with front brakes only? Seems to me that
the
> brakes could lock up or the car could spin or something like that if one
has
> to stop suddenly when driving at freeway speeds. Any input is
appreciated.
>
> Oh, the car is a VW Golf, about 10 years old.
>
> Thanks!


What's more interesting is that when you get brake fluid on the shoes,
a tiny bit of moisture will cause them to grab, and lock-up, with very
little pedal pressure. Could just be a damp day that does it.

And of course if enough fluid leaks out, that half of the master cyl.
will go dry, and if its a diagonally-split system, there will be only
1 front brake working.


The car won't pass inspection, so tell the her to pay up and fix it
before there's an accident.


Dave (former mechanic, former licensed NYS vehicle inspector)