brake problem diagnosis

[MountainMonkey]

hello everyone, i know this is a explorer forum but i'll ask anyways,
the brakes on my 84 ranger stoped working entirely while i was driving home. first the front pass side siezed up and i didnt notice until the rotor was red hot. then i removed the caliper from the rotor tied it to the top of the front p-side spring and continued home. made it most of the way home then the rest of the brakes just stoped working. the rest of the brakes didnt sieze up they just stoped working. any idea how i can find out what the problem is? as far as i can tell theres no holes in the lines and no way for air to get into them.

when i press the brake pedal it feels spongy

 

[malohnes]

With your caliper tied up you're gonna have troubles with spongy brakes.

Check the booster and master cylinder for leaks. How is the fluid level? How clean is it?

 

[arco777]

If you apply the brakes with one caliper off the brake rotor, it'll squeeze at nothing and your brake pressure will be wasted on that one caliper. In a situation like yours, in an emergency when you have to remove and hang the caliper to get home, you need to put a block of wood or similar to give that caliper something to squeeze. Even a c-clamp against the piston could work.

 

[OneofMany]

Most likely the problem lies in the caliper you removed to make it home. The secondary problem was caused by the removal of the caliper like arco said. However i would have thought your proportioning valve would have cut that wheel and the opposing rear wheel off and triggered a brake warning light like it is designed to do. maybe you ran out of fluid too quick. eitherway when you replace the caliper etc take a look at your proportioning valve. Not sure where its at but it should be centrally located under the truck and is a junction for he brake lines. check the connector.

 

[MountainMonkey]

i will check the valve after i replace the caliper. if i put a block of wood into the caliper, bleed the brakes and still get nothing when i put down the pedal what could it be? the master cylinder? lol also the rotor heated up red hot before i realized the caliper was siezed, think it warped? or if it looks straight will it be good to go?