88 Ranger rear brakes not working

[88 XLT Ranger]

I've bled brakes several times using a one-man bleeder kit ($10) and have had great success. With these kits you do not need to hold down the brake pedal at all. Just hook up the hose, crack the bleeder, and pump the pedal a few times...no more needed...just sit back and watch the bubbles...and top up the MC as needed.

The reservoir on them actually sits higher than the brake cylinder which totally baffled me as far as gravity and all that...but the air bubbles float upward...doh! Works great and you can do it all by yourself.

Which reminds me...I still have to get driver side hooked up and bled...

One man bleeder kit? where did you buy that from? my help never showed up so I did the crowbar and 2x4 pump it push it agenced the brake peddle. I got a good drip flow from both sides no bubbles. The peddle did come up felt hard even started with booster was up. I shut it off for few minuts started it back up same deal right to almost the floor just front brakes working. If I push the peddle quick the back brakes work for a second than fade away fast. I wonder if its the Master Cylinder like the mechanic said?

 

[Mark_88]

I bought the "one man bleeder" kit at Canadian tire...but you can get them in the US from what I've read on here...or make one...just a tube with a sealed bottle of some sort...connect the tube to the bleeder and hang the bottle above the cylinder somewhere (mine had a magnet that you could attach it to the fender but it fell off...)

When I did my brakes about two years ago I thought it was the MC too...but it turned out I had several small leaks in the lines that took me a while to find...had to wrap the joints in light rags and pump the pedal...the rags showed me where the leaks were on the joints...so after tightening all the connections properly it pumped up good and been fine ever since...(it was all new that I replaced and about five years ago but hadn't bothered to bleed them since I wasn't driving it at the time)...I used some of the connectors that I posted above but didn't tighten them properly...so a crack or leak in the connectors (or a plugged line) can be a pita...may want to replace all the way back from the MC like I'd mentioned just to be sure it's all good.

I recently popped the driver side read cylinder and have been driving with three wheel brakes...plugged the T connector for the driver side rear line with a proper plug and just waiting to finish it off after replacing the cylinder...and tonight I broke my parking brake cable connector (rusted nuts) from the passenger side so it looks like I have a bit more work to do myself...ugh!

 

[Finnigan]

I have a kit like this. http://www.harborfreight.com/one-man-brake-bleeder-kit-37201.html
I've had it so long I don't remember where I got it.

The only problem I have ever had with a bleeder kit is if the hose pops off the bleeder nipple and you don't realize it. They you are sucking air when you let go of the pedal. If you use the bleeder kit pump slowly on the brake. Don't romp on it.

Otherwise they're a great tool to have.

 

[Mark_88]

That's the one I have too...and I had the same problem with hoses popping off...I put a slightly bigger rubber hose over the connections and clamped it on...but the smaller hose fitted into the bigger one pretty tight...I just got fed up with the thing falling apart just when you thought you had them done...of course...

 

[Andy D]

The MC is above the wheel cylinders. I fill up the MC and leave the top off. Then I crawl under and start checking for drips. Working front to back on the rear and B to F on the front lines. Once the system is tight, open a wheel cylinder bleeder. Let it drip for a minute and then close it. It is as simple as that.

However you do the brake lines , all connections must be air tight. If they are not the system wont bleed . Sure you can pressure bleed, but it wont last.

 

[Surrey]

One man bleeder kit? where did you buy that from? my help never showed up so I did the crowbar and 2x4 pump it push it agenced the brake peddle. I got a good drip flow from both sides no bubbles. The peddle did come up felt hard even started with booster was up. I shut it off for few minuts started it back up same deal right to almost the floor just front brakes working. If I push the peddle quick the back brakes work for a second than fade away fast. I wonder if its the Master Cylinder like the mechanic said?

Sounds like a bad line somewhere between the master cylinder and the wheel.

You are able to pump up the brakes to get some feel to it, but that quickly fades away, so somewhere your system is not sealed.

That would explain why you can't get much flow out of it either - your bad line is probably leaking your fluid out rather than flowing it all the way to the wheel.

Have you crawled under the truck and checked the lines for signs of leaking? Sounds like you should be able to see some dripping fluid or something, although sometimes these things can be hard to spot. I recently did brake lines on a Toyota 4runner, and one of the lines was rusted through where it goes up and over a frame rail. I actually found it because I could HEAR the leak when under the truck and someone stepped on the brake.

 

[88 XLT Ranger]

Sounds like a bad line somewhere between the master cylinder and the wheel.

You are able to pump up the brakes to get some feel to it, but that quickly fades away, so somewhere your system is not sealed.

That would explain why you can't get much flow out of it either - your bad line is probably leaking your fluid out rather than flowing it all the way to the wheel.

Have you crawled under the truck and checked the lines for signs of leaking? Sounds like you should be able to see some dripping fluid or something, although sometimes these things can be hard to spot. I recently did brake lines on a Toyota 4runner, and one of the lines was rusted through where it goes up and over a frame rail. I actually found it because I could HEAR the leak when under the truck and someone stepped on the brake.

Thanks for all the info guy's

I don't see any leaking lines if I pump the brake I get some feel than it fades away quick. One time I thought I had it as the peddle stayed up and went down real slow. I found a bleeder kit from OReily auto parts "Performance Tool" brake bleeder $7.99 will get it and give that a try and double check all lines for leaks. I wish I can get these rear brake working

 

[GentleRF]

Here's a thought which hasn't been mentioned as yet: the master cylinder. They can sometimes go bad with brake issues which seem unrelated. If the rear brakes come apart like was mentioned by the OP, the wheel cylinder will pop the piston of one end or another and drain the fluid with each succeeding pump of the pedal. When that happens, the reservoir for the part of the master cylinder feeding the rear brakes will go dry and can damage the seals resulting in air in the lines and a loss of "pedal". One way of checking for a bad seal in the master cylinder is loosen the nuts holding it to the power brake booster and seeing if there is any fluid seepage.

Rick in East Bremerton

 

[88 XLT Ranger]

Here's a thought which hasn't been mentioned as yet: the master cylinder. They can sometimes go bad with brake issues which seem unrelated. If the rear brakes come apart like was mentioned by the OP, the wheel cylinder will pop the piston of one end or another and drain the fluid with each succeeding pump of the pedal. When that happens, the reservoir for the part of the master cylinder feeding the rear brakes will go dry and can damage the seals resulting in air in the lines and a loss of "pedal". One way of checking for a bad seal in the master cylinder is loosen the nuts holding it to the power brake booster and seeing if there is any fluid seepage.

Rick in East Bremerton

Thanks Rick


It did come apart in the drum the strange thing is the MC never lost any fluid its always been full. If it has leaking issues I would have to add fliud once in a while?


I meant after fixing the rear brake its never lost any fluid over the last two years. Its been like this that long never had any help to bleed them

 

[Finnigan]

I believe the MC can go bad too. Basically the piston in the MC can get blow by. If you bleed the air out of all 4 brakes and you still get fading, I'd give the MC the hairy eyeball.

 

[88 XLT Ranger]

Thanks to all of you

I bought a one man bleeder kit I pushed the plastic tube on the bleeder hooked the bottle on the frame. I did the gravity bleed just opened the bleeder kept the MC full and watched the bottle fill up. There was no big air bubbles just pin head size bubbles not many at that it took 4 times each side. They work great now nice and solid no going to the floor slow when hitting the brakes. After almost two years no rear brakes it feels like a new truck. This Urgent Help forum is the best with the best people as you all again thank you all

 

[Mark_88]

Good to hear you got it done... thanks for the follow up~