I've had at least three brake failures I can think of off the top of my
head. The first was when a hose broke on my '75. I was still learning
things rapidly back then.... thankfully it was where I had to go through
standing water so I had allowed a lot of extra braking distance (the
drums get wet and they lose braking ability) In fact I thought that it
was the drums being wet. When it didn't go away I started looking for a
problem.  

Another was when the brake line on my 73 that goes from the front to the
rear developed a pin hole leak on the side that is totally blind and
hidden from inspection. The pedal went to the floor as I was putting it
in another parking place where I could work on it.

The third was maybe a year and half ago. Another hidden pin hole leak,
this time in a line running along the axle. Again the side I couldn't see
in an inspection. I carry brake fluid in the car and drove home slowly.

Then there was one this past summer, a rear wheel cylinder went on me...
although that doesn't really count because there was really no loss of
braking capacity, just a puddle of brake fluid in the garage under the
tire....

You must have been rather lucky, that's all I can say. I had to REPLACE
all the brake lines to the rear brakes on the torqueless wonder car
because they rusted through. I've replaced a lot of brake lines in my
life and I'm not that old and I don't work on cars for a living.

I bought an 85 Firebird in 95.  The brakes failed on the way home.
The car had been sitting, and the brakes worked during the "systems
check" before I drove the car home.  The fuel lines were rusted, and
apparently the "stress" of checking them in the sellers driveway was
all that it took - first time I tried to apply them on the road the
pedal went to the floor with no result.

Interestingly enough, I drove the car like that for 3 months without
incident until my dad discovered the lack of brakes.  Being older,
wiser and more financially secure now I wouldn't' do it again, but
safe driving practices allowed me to avoid an accident with
downshifting being my only brake (parking brake was toast as well).  I
wouldn't have taken it into Boston traffic, but it did OK for the
suburbs.

I've had one failure since 1951 but it was expected and I drove some
real beaters also - ones that would have had the reg pulled by a cop
if I had been stopped.  The one failure was on a new (to me) old F250
with a leaking master cylinder.  I was aware of it and was on the way
to Lewiston to have my brother fix it (head mechanic at a ford
dealer).  Last hint of brakes was just before I reached the top the
Lewiston, Id hill on US 95.  That is about 2,000 ft, 6 percent grade
for 6 miles.  Lots of truck escape routes and I was eyeballing each
one.  Got to his house and he told me to follow him via back streets
to the shop.  I swear he hit every stop sign in both Clarkston and
Lewiston before getting there.

So, Yes, I had a failure but No it wasn't a surprise.

Harry K

Lucky you.

Apparently, moving to the Left Coast has softened your brain so that
you do not remember the white winter roads of Cleveland, Ohio, that do
nasty things to metal brake lines.  Lucky you.

FWIW, had the surface not been wet at the time, I would have managed a
stop with only the two remaining brakes.  I would show you the math
but - you are  beneath my dignity.  Lucky you.
--
C.R. Krieger

It's the fault of those stupid SUV developers that sell cars that you
can't see around when you're parked next to them or driving behind them.
  It may also be the fault of the pick-up driver for not anticipating
the hazard.  If I see a stalled car in the lane on the other side of the
road, I slow down and try to accommodate anybody who may cross the
centre line to pass.

Of course, maybe the tailgater is another one of those drivers that
doesn't like other drivers in front of him.  There was another CLB
yesterday that was happy blocking the centre lane and two drivers.  As
one driver started tailgating, the CLB stepped on the brakes and tried
to slow down, until somebody moved in front.  Then the CLB started
honking and flashing its headlamps.  There was no traffic in the lane
ahead of it, and the right lane was open.  What is it that they don't
understand about Keep Right Except To Pass?

There was also another merge-impaired driver yesterday that pulled in
front of me at 20 below my speed.  I moved left to pass and the Sloth
started honking at me.  What was the problem, except its failure to
accelerate to the speed of traffic?  They don't want other people in
front of them, but they seem to like holding up everybody else.

May you be "swooped and squatted" by 1000 insurance scammers.

Since kill filing S&DDAM and GPSMoron, I've found the reading
experience in the group to be much better.

I started thinking about it the other day. If those two morons won't
respond to each other, why should I bother reading their retarded
posts?

I *KNOW* gpstard is sitting over there, just itching for your
responses and laughing; he's got you hook, line, and sinker, like
S&DDAM had me for so long.

--

Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

Do you often hear swooshing sounds in the vicinity of your head...?

So.. your inability to deal with DC traffic is the fault of DC
traffic, and not your own limitations...?

Oh.  So they can't even move left to pass if you're in the
vicinity...?!

Not your fault, huh...?
-----

- gpsman