Over the past few years there's been a growing swell of interest in 4x4 trucks.  Whether you've run your truck 200,000 miles and you're trying to decide if you should reinvest in it, or bag it and buy another one; or whether you're totally new on the trail, there's something everyone can learn by asking the right question.

Because, quite frankly, I'm amazed at how few SUV/Truck owners hit me with the right question, which is "I just bought, or I'm about to buy, or I'm about to restore my vehicle and what should I do first?" Far too many folks just want to know what accessories or which modifications they should make. Now, I'm a businessman and I'm pretty happy to sell a new customer a winch/bulbar or roof rack, but I'm also an enthusiast, and my commitment to the 4x4 community goes much further than how many bucks I can turn.

So the idea behind this monthly column is to get folks to think sequentially about their vehicles. To evaluate its strengths and its weaknesses. To isolate each operating system. To assess your actual driving needs. Then to prioritize (and budget) your plan of attack. In a word: to organize your approach to getting the biggest bang out of your buck and your truck!

That's why I'm calling this feature, "First Things First". A word of caution though: this series of articles is meant to be just an outline. I strongly urge every 4x4 owner to own repair manuals and use them. You can use them to do the work yourself or to understand the work your experienced mechanic is doing, your repair manual is your road map.

The very first area to consider in your truck's evaluation is SAFETY. That's what we'll feature today, braking and steering.

In evaluating a 4x4’s braking system, you or an experienced mechanic need to look at the following areas:

A) Condition of the hydraulics -- signs of leakage and/or weepage on boosters or fire wall
B) Dry rot, cracks or chafing on brake rubber hoses -- rust and/or scale on the steel brake lines
C) Overall condition of drums/rotors and shoes/pads relative to minimum specs
D) Are wheel cylinders still adjustable and not frozen
E) Brake calipers should be smooth and freely operational and not hanging up
F) Road test -- use a safe area and apply good firm brake pedal at 20 to 25 mph with hands off the wheel -- does it pull or stop in a straight line (if it pulls to left something on right is probably not doing its job)
G) If the truck has a low brake pedal and rapidly pumping the pedal raises the pedal height and holds, shoes need adjustment.  If pedal height slowly falls back to original position check for possible leaks or a bad master cylinder.

SPECIAL NOTE: Hydraulics on a truck that has sat for a couple of years will quickly fail, though not always noticeable at first.

Hydraulic fluid is hygroscopic and will draw moisture from the air, because brake systems are not airtight. The dissolved oxygen in the moisture will migrate like a cancer throughout, the system and cause oxidation (rust) on the smooth interior surfaces of the master and wheel cylinder bores. Thus, once the system is put back into service the fine edges of the seals and plunger pucks will quickly erode against these coarse surfaces and fail possibly at the worst of times; so beware!

In evaluating a 4x4’s steering system, you or an experienced mechanic need to look at the following areas:

A) Worn steering coupler or the universal joint
B) Misadjusted steering gear box
C) Worn or misadjusted center arm
D) Worn drag-link, relay and tie rod ends
E) Check for play in the wheel hearings - adjustment and repacking is usually needed every 20K miles
F) Worn spring shackle bushings
G) Flat or fatigued leaf springs will change steering geometry (caster)

One preliminary steering system test is to lie under the front of the vehicle while someone turns the steering wheel 20 degrees from left to right very rapidly. The inspector is looking for excessive play in the rod ends or vertical movement in the center arm.

Although some older 4x4’s aren't known for high performance steering, you can get an early read on problems by comparing the steering wheel turn against the front wheel turn: 1/2" to 3/4" variation is peak performance: up to 1" is even acceptable: more than 2" is a red flag for steering system problems.

When shopping for brake and steering components, quality and known brand names should be your priority, and price secondary.

In the coming months this column will feature engine performance, running gear, body/chassis, and electrical systems. Last but not least, we'll get into minor systems and accessories, like winch/bull bars, roof racks, soft tops, winches, snorkels, and more. Safe driving and we’ll chat again in First Things First, Part 2.

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