Scary Ride

[DShelton]

This morning I took the worst ride in my bronco, as I was driving my bronco to town this morning my wife was following when a truck pulled out in front of her and she barely got stopped. While I was watching all of this happening in my rearview mirror, I got on the brakes and instantly the rear brakes locked up, tried pedaling it but they never unlock and in a split second it snapped around 180 on the black top. No top, no cage, didnt have my seat belt on, thankfully my old tires are hard as a rock and almost bald so they just slide but still not sure how I didnt roll it. Bad part is that I stopped saving for a new cage and started using that money I had saved for a new motor but it has went straight to the top of the list now. Thankfully my little boy wasnt with me and we both didnt have bad wrecks.

 

[ILikeBond]

Glad you're ok. I drove my bronco top- and cage-free once: on the ride to go pick up the cage, right after I got it. Driving that way is scary as hell, when nothing happened. Can't imagine spinning out on top if it. Glad no one was hurt.

 

[okie4570]

Glad you're ok! No body thought anything about roll bars back in the day.......or wearing seat belts......Roadster guys were brave on the highways!

 

[DShelton]

I've been driving around my small town a lil bit and didnt really think about it, wasnt trail riding or doing anything crazy but sure was when it was spinning. Never had my brakes lock up like that before, promised my wife that I wouldnt drive it anymore till I get a cage and better seat belts.

 

[Sun_and_Steel77]

Roll bars are for girlymen!
The yahoos in this video smoked unfiltered cigarettes,ate bacon everyday and thought nothing of catching six feet of air in an open-topped SUV with no roll-over protection or seat belts!...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-hYylpMJ6U

Just trying to cheer you up. Glad to hear you came out of the spin rubber side up!

 

[bigpitbull]

Glad everyone is ok... I have driven my 66 u15 without a top and rollbar. About as scary as riding a motorcycle without a helmet...

 

[blubuckaroo]

Fix the brakes and tires first. Cages are cool, and can protect you in a rollover but they will make the car top heavy with both a cage and top installed.

 

[Tuck]

When I first got the half cab, the brakes were super squirrelly...no stop, then suddenly they'd lock up. Found the line to the rear crimped almost completely for about an inch. It stops great now.

 

[sprdv1]

Wheeeeeew, change them drawers soon after I bet.

VERY Glad it wasn't worst for you or the wife. It's those things like that though, that save us from future incidents

 

[DShelton]

I was telling my wife that I would like to know what the guy in the truck that almost hit her was thinking when I spun in road, if he know I lost it or I was a crazy guy that was coming back after him. Goin to get brakes fixed and put the top back on, don't think I can go very long without driving my bronco and my lil boy says it looks cooler with the top on anyway but cage is still a high priority.

 

[Firedog67]

A gentleman that I am friends with on facebook had the same thing happen to him. His single hoop rollbar broke but saved his life. He was hurt but not killed. I would fix the brakes while purchasing a quality cage.
Just my .02

 

[WheelHorse]

Before ABS and even load sensing proportioning valves, most guys were well aware that drum brakes lock up in the rear pretty easily under a panic stop.

Plus, ever hit drum brakes when they had a little dew in them first thing in the morning, 'bout put you through the windshield.

Most of all, glad you are ok to write about this.

I'll agree with Blu...Tires can make or break any situation, along with brakes. I'd start with those two items. If you are still using the original stock rubber lines, time to upgrade those as well. Look at either replacing or rebuilding the wheel cylinders and all associated hardware. Make sure there are no grooves in the backing plates holding up the shoes from releasing. Big worn in lips on the drums can also cause a symptom of what you had described as well.

 

[Scoop]

Fix the brakes and tires first. . . .

X2. The rears should not lock up. Do a front disk conversion with a proportioning valve and get them adjusted correctly. Then forget the new engine until you at least get a 4 pt roll bar!

Glad you're ok.

 

[67RT]

Glad everyone is ok... I have driven my 66 u15 without a top and rollbar. About as scary as riding a motorcycle without a helmet...

As scary and dumb. Work in an ER and all of us would change our views.
Now our police can do no cause pullovers and fine 83$. Neighbor just got first hands free ticket and got a note from insurance that his rates were raising 21 percent. Protect yourselves!
Wasn't there a members spouse that passed away from a similar situation (RIP). He described the incident on here. He survived and now has the grief. And their truck had a full cage but not sure about restraint situation. Locked brakes and spin off highway. Ejected her unfortunately. I greatly appreciated his sharing, feel his grief, and immediately had brakes checked, bought a cage and shoulder belts. Not installed but my family will not get in until they are and I will not remove the hardtop until then either.

 

[DShelton]

Wow, cage folded up and I agree that I need a good quality cage and get the brakes lined out.

I think moisture was the issue, been heavy rain the last couple days and crazy humidity, knew they we're grabbing but they had seemed to be gettin better. I replaced the wheel cylinders but definitely goin inspect everything.

Like most people I bought mine as a basket case and slowly but surely I'll get it lined out.

 

[DShelton]

X2. The rears should not lock up. Do a front disk conversion with a proportioning valve and get them adjusted correctly.

That's my concern, mines a 77, already have disk front, had went they my brakes system and they had been working great with no issue.

 

[zonian]

Glad you and the wife are o.k. I echo all of the previous posts, I rolled my previous eb with no cage, was very lucky. Brake exam and new tires should be numero uno....

 

[Tedster100]

Glad you're all ok. I spun a Bronco II many years ago on the highway at 65, how my off road tires didn't flip that thing is beyond me but it gave me a whole new respect for good brakes, seatbelts and the unpredictability of a short wheelbase vehicle. Sounds like you're on the right track to making the needed safety upgrades.

 

[WheelHorse]

I can lock up all four under a panic stop. Typically once the arse end comes up from the weight transfer, most older vehicles will lock the rear tires, especially when those drums self energize. Unfortunately, most people have been conditioned for ABS that is greatly forgiving to stepping on the brakes faster than a non-abs could handle. Not many people understand threshold braking on an older vehicle, let alone have tested it somewhere out with no traffic to see if the rig would dart or get skiddish.

Now could you under proportion the rear; I suppose one could, but I would have to see the actually test at a testing lane to see the percentages and if that would pass the state safety lane before I could recommend it.

My best advice...get all your brakes up to snuff and mark out some lines on a road with no traffic. Do some testing. Don't forget to allow for brake cooling. Adjust that proportioning valve that gives minimal lock up combined with the best 60-0 stopping (this is if you upgrade and/or install an adjustable unit). It's better to know how she'll react during testing than during an emergency situation.

 

[blamejane]

Certainly a wake-up call there, really glad everyone's okay.