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Yes, my diesel's brakes failed... she's off to the shop for repairs...

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by OceanEyes, Nov 29, 2012.

  1. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

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    Picture this... asked if I could work through lunch to get out a bit earlier to make it home to go back out to get 50 bales of hay for the horses - a major production since I load it by myself at the farm where I get it.

    It gets dark out earlier now and my plans to leave early fell apart with students coming into the office for bus passes, etc. Panicked phone call to my brother to hook the truck to the trailer - no problem. If I could get to the farm prior to it getting dark I could pull into the spot (difficult with a trailer) and start loading. Out of work a half hour later than I had hoped. Crap happens.

    Get into barn clothes, start up the driveway and something does not feel right with the brakes... is it that I am used to the Prius's really great brakes... (and I mean REALLY great brakes) no, diesel just got her brakes looked over and fixed before I left upstate NY and they were working fine.... one more test before pulling onto the road and the pedal went to the floor :censored:, complete with warning lights. I uttered some very colorful language and I stepped out to find brake fluid leaking from a line underneath the driver's side. :censored: (More very bad language uttered.) :mad:

    Back to the house, description of what I saw - my brother ran out to check and said it looked like the left side brake line went... I backed up, turned around and faced the trailer out so the farmer could get the hay to me (thankfully, he did today).

    Found two garages that were recommended by coworkers with trucks, just need to get the trailer full of hay unhooked and get the truck flatbedded over to one of the garages. One garage is open on Saturday and that will help me not miss work....

    It better not snow if the truck is out of commission for a week... wonder what work would say if I drove to work in a horse drawn vehicle? At least I know how to fix those!
     
  2. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

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    I think the really bad language rhymed with truck. :eek: So glad nobody heard me blowing a gasket of frustration....
     
  3. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    This might something you can fix yourself. High ground clearance wrecks aerodynamics, but it makes getting under the vehicle for fixes easy.

    Replacement lines are readily available. With the extra space under the truck and in the engine bay, swapping them out should be straight forward. The only possible issue would be keeping air out of the master cylinder. Check with a site specific to your truck on how difficult the job could be.

    If fixing it yourself isn't an option, get a quote on replacing all the lines. At the very least, have them all flushed. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, and over the years water will accluminate in the system. Unless you have been regularly bleeding the lines, that water probably caused the line to rust out from the inside. So the other lines might be ready to go also.

    I know it isn't something most manufacturers mention in their maintenance guides, but bleeding the lines every two years is good practice. I've been bad about it myself. Another option is just testing the fluid for water content to see if flushing is needed. I think it is straight forward with a tester like the one for measuring coolant concentration (it's the same measurement, specific density).
     
  4. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

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    Me getting on a creeper is not an option... I don't know enough about cars and trucks to know what I am looking at other than the coolant, oil, gas and windshield wiper fluid receptacles... I know what a muffler looks like, especially when one explodes like the one did on my Datsun B210GX while her timing was slightly off (thanks to my brother's quick diagnostics - he knows cars - rebuilt a Rally Sport Camaro three times to get her "right"). Better to let someone else get dirty... a horse I can fix for the most part... cars are another story!

    Opening up my Prius's hood to see what was inside was an adventure...but I know where some things go....and I have the manuals that are the size of a Stephen King novel....
     
  5. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    So what if it snows? Drive the Prius. Mine does fine up and down the Rocky Mountains throughout all weather conditions. Last weekend there was a pretty good snow on one of the passes, first time this season I have seen the police cruisers do their "follow me" routines and trucks forced to put chains on. Prius made it just fine.
     
  6. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

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    What kind of tires are you using... was reading the thread on snow tires but not sure what is best for New England winters... not driving a four wheel drive vehicle in winter for the first time has me spooked! I have some salt to clean off of her from the drive this week... luckily she has the glass coat on...

    Merry Christmas to my vehicles - they are about to get some money spent on them!
     
  7. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    First winter I was using 3 year old near bald all season Goodyear somethings. Did OK in the snow.

    I put Michelin X-ICE 2 tires on last season, and I have them on now too. They are definitely an improvement, and the best snow tire I have used. I have driven FWD and AWD vehicles in the snow for a long time. The AWD can make some situations easier, but there are very few situations where you absolutely need AWD. And most of those situations involve you doing something stupid to get into them. Like plowing through a snow bank and then needing to reverse out of it.

    Driver ability is what you need. If you have never driven a FWD in the snow, then you will need practice. AWD vehicles are much easier. A brain dead monkey could drive them in the snow. Stopping is no different though. :) Next time it snows, head out to an empty parking lot and drive around. Do some spins. Crank the wheel, put both pedals to the metal and learn how the car drives. You need to know what to expect for when you are in that panic situation. Being in a panic situation is not the best time to learn as you go.

    I find the Prius very rear heavy. Going down steep grades and on very bad tires with ice, the rear has a tendency to come loose. With the real tires, no issue. Also the traction control can be a problem. That is the only complaint, however it can be turned off by entering "inspection mode". This will cause the engine to run constantly and disable traction control to allow for wheel spin. Rarely have I needed this except for a few cases we had ice storms and my multi-thousand vertical foot accent to home was causing problems a little wheel spin fixed.

    I have seen many AWD and 4WD vehicles spin out around me driving stupid. The Prius brakes are awesome because the regen gives you nice even braking that is slow and continuous. No worries about locking the tires braking if you drive slow and steady or worse, locking 1 wheel and spinning. The Prius fits my 180cm in the hatch no problem, and it takes me to all the resorts, back bowls, and mountain passes with no issues.
     
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  8. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    Get some Nokian Hakkapilittas. I have them on my car. The rally racing guys love them.
     
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  9. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

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    Did the wash today - snow did not happen. Something about washing, rinsing and drying this "baby"... :love:
     
  10. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

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    And I am encouraged!:)
     
  11. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    I understand not wanting to mess with repairs if you feel out of your depth.

    FWD is all most people really need for snow. I've only had trouble when on balding tires. Something that would hinder even AWD and 4WD. The only time I could've leave my house was after an ice storm with the Prius. The traction control defeated me. It was a 2005 though, and I believe Toyota has dialed back the sensitivity of the system.

    Ground clearance is something to consider, but unless you really need to be somewhere in such bad weather that it's a factor, you and everyone else is better off staying at home.
     
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  12. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

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    I use the 4 wheel drive for snow - my upstate NY commute to work was a nasty, windblown road with many overconfident drivers catching air and plunging into drifts way off the road if it was snowy or icy. I had my son's Corolla to save on the diesel's mileage until last summer - he drove that car through the Bristol Hills from Alfred State University with all seasons on and did fine...could get up our steep driveway without a problem but I did not have his driving skills - he learned extensive skills driving friends' "field cars." I needed the four wheel drive truck to get up a snow covered driveway... now back in New England I am holding my breath on the weather... during Sandy I made it to work in the truck to find out we were in a Code Red state of emergency...

    Got the truck backed up, unloaded the full trailer of hay and have her turned around so I can either get her towed or a short drive to a local mechanic in town...no hills and about three miles of quiet country roads to get there.

    On my drive this week (it was a Prius week for me with no bad weather :D ), we picked up some road salt :eek: ... and yesterday I was washing that baby down, drying her off, cleaning the inside (which is pretty immaculate to begin with)... they never told me that when I drank the Kool Aid I would become duly affected by this Sea Glass Pearl beauty.:love: My brother laughs at me but he knows the feeling - his Tacoma was out getting cleaned of road salt right after I was done with the hose.
     
  13. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    I don't think we get as much snow here in north eastern Pa., but I've always been able to get by with FWD and all season tires. The higher tire pressures I now run at, might hinder traction, but that's an easy fix. The Prius traction control is its biggest hurdle. Good tires help there.

    On the other hand, if you need the truck for other things, I'd save the cash that would go to snow tires to keep it running. You never stated what model it was, but most of the earlier ones were tough to kill.
     
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  14. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

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    Ford F250 super duty diesel... she does the farm chores, winter travel and the dirty work I don't let the Prius near... Prius is a Gen III, 2012, 4.
     
  15. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

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    Ford's a 2000....
     
  16. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Bales? My Mom in SE Kansas and most folks in North Alabama use rolls. Throw a tarp over them and the critters handle the rest.

    Bob Wilson
     
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  17. eagle33199

    eagle33199 Platinum Member

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    the Prius really does fine in snow... so long as there isn't a lot of it :p I've only gotten stuck once, bottoming out in a turn lane (would you believe the roads had been completely clear 2 hours earlier?). But then again, this is Minnesota. We can get a lot of snow all at once. Two years ago, we got 2 feet of snow in 1 day!

    If you're unsure/uncomfortable driving it in the snow, start out easy. Drive slow, leave plenty of room, and head over to a large, empty parking lot nearby (schools on Sundays are great for this). Get into the parking lot, and start playing around - get up to speed, and tap the breaks hard. Learn how to handle a fishtail. Do some donuts. Once you get over the "OMG I'm out of control" fear, you'll start to have a little fun, and be more confident in your ability to handle the car in the snow.
     
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  18. ewxlt66

    ewxlt66 Active Member

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    My F250 has been with me for 3 year and 45k. In that time it's cost me $8k in repairs and maintenance and $700 a month in fuel. This is why I've purchased another Prius for when I don't HAVE to drive my truck.
     
  19. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    You can lease a small fleet of Priuses for that much money.
     
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  20. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

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    Bales here - don't want to take a chance with mold in the round bales with horses. Cattle can handle it, horses it ends up being an expensive vet bill or worse. I know folks that do the round bales but I also have four American Miniatures that were bred to eat and they plump up just looking at food.