Lightfoot

When our 2000 Chevy Astro had only 12,000 miles under its wheels, it ate the back end off of a Dodge Stratus that turned in front of us one night. All occupants were belted in, and the only injury was a burn from a side impact airbag for the girl driving the Stratus. Both cars were pretty well trashed, but because ours was practically new, our insurance company wouldn't total it, and it was rebuilt. I have been completing that rebuild ever since.

During our first winter driving this car we found that the anti-lock brakes kicked in sooner than we liked, and that it was hard to stop on any mildly slick surface. Pumping the brakes like I did when I drove a '51 Hudson made stopping possible, and soon, Susan was able to stop the old fashioned way, too. Stopping quickly on gravel required the same technique, and we figured that it was just the nature of the anti-lock brake system on this car.

Recently we both noticed a change in the feel of the brake pedal, (165,000 plus miles) so I installed a rebuilt master cylinder. Susan helped me bleed the system, and then we went out on the gravel to test it. HOLY COW! We could stop fast on gravel! No aggravating anti-lock kick in! What we have figured out is that, when we hit that Stratus, with the brakes engaged to the max, we blew the cup for the front brakes, and have been driving with only rear brakes for over 150,000 miles. Henry Ford would be proud of us, even if it was a Chevy.

Moral? I'm still learning how to get around under the car, and if I ever take a bad hit with my foot on the brakes I will rebuild or change the master cylinder; or get a new car.