help me out! I've had it!!!!

[scotts90ranger]

ok, ever since my body swap my brakes have been lacking, I've bled them many many times, I've replaced both calipers, both cylinders (and one just went out again), both front brake lines and just tonight the master cylinder.

the symptoms are soft pedal, goes about 3/4 of the way down before you stop, every time I bleed the system I get air out it seems, how the heck is it getting in? I also have the RABS light on, thought itwas just the sensor on the axle, which was trashed when the spider gear lost a tooth, but I replaced it and reset the computer and it's still on. the back brakes will usually lock up just fine and I might get one front tire to lock up if I'm lucky. is there some special way to recenter the valve or whatnot?

what am I doing wrong? I'm about out of ideas. yes I bench bled the master cylinder following the directions that came with it. I've been gravity bleeding for the most part, try to get help when I can. right now it's sitting sucking fluid to the passenger caliper with a bubble about every inch, been doing it for about 15 minutes now...

I'm at my wits end, and am finally asking the people with more experience than I...

 

[scotts90ranger]

ok, took a quick test drive around the block, after the master change, the brakes are the same. I didn't just change the master for no reason, I took it off wednesday night to bench bleed it (like I said, I am out of ideas, willing to try anything) and noticed some brake fluid at the booster, so I replaced it, it's a whole $28, so no biggie

ok, I'm cold and frustrated, but calming down a bit, as for specs, it's basically a '89 4x4 ranger with a D28, 7.5 with 9" drums, RABS, 4.10's and 31" tires (I'm not expecting it to brake perfect with this setup, but the pedal shouldn't be this soft), calipers are about a year old, wheel cylinders are about a year old, installed front lines last weekend, master tonight, replaced RABS speed sensor a couple weeks ago with a used unit that wasn't missing a chunk on the business end... I've ran about 64oz of dot 3 brake fluid through the thing in the last month, 32 oz of that between wednesday night and tonight.

any help would be appreciated greatly, I want the damn thing working, and people off my back because they aren't working (I'm tired of getting lectures about how I shouldn't drive if my brakes stop me fine but I have to move the pedal further than I should, not like I haven't tried!)

 

[homeless69]

My ranger had the same symptoms and I had bled it over and over and I thought I had all the air out but there was some still in the hydraulic control unit. It was still under warrantee at the time so ford did it with some kind of adapter that was plugged into the control module. Not sure if you got that same hook up but mine worked great after they bled the hcu. Hope you get it figured out. Good luck.

 

[scotts90ranger]

ok, I think it was the master cylinder, as they work fine now, I still need to adjust the piston from the booster to the master, but it stops like it should

before I replaced the master, the pedal would be hard if I pumped it with the engine off, when I started it the pedal would go down about half way with no effort, now it's solid all the time like it should be

 

[Silverado]

Just thinking out loud, but did you determine whether the booster and associated vacuum lines were airtight?

 

[Chic N Stew]

my 86 did the same thing, it ended up being the master cylinder, it would be fine for about a week, and then start to get soft again, i think it was internal leak or something like that

 

[Josh40601]

My 4x4 does the same thing. I replaced both front lines, the rear line, and the master cylinder. Still mushy. The truck stops, but if i cut the wheels all the way to the right, i lose ALL presure for about 10 seconds, then it goes back to being mushy. When the truck is off, the pedal is really firm, but still goes down. The rear brakes are all brand new, but the calipers havent been replaced. Any ideas?

 

[dangerranger83]

My dads truck is the same way. Brakes went out on him replaced everything and with the truck off pedal is firmer then with the truck engine on. He says we need to bleed the brakes again but its not on his highset priority list. It drives mabey 10 miles a day.

 

[Josh40601]

oh no, i have bled about a gallon of brake fluid through this thing. You know how old brake fluid is all blackish brown, not mine. Looks as new as when it comes out of the bottle. Seriously though, I have bled these things so much and i still can not figure out what the hell is wrong

 

[dangerranger83]

Might have to switch over to braded lines and see if that would be any better.

 

[Earl43P]

My 4x4 does the same thing. I replaced both front lines, the rear line, and the master cylinder. Still mushy. The truck stops, but if i cut the wheels all the way to the right, i lose ALL presure for about 10 seconds, then it goes back to being mushy. When the truck is off, the pedal is really firm, but still goes down. The rear brakes are all brand new, but the calipers havent been replaced. Any ideas?

Bad caliper flex line. Replace both (same age).

 

[Josh40601]

The lines are brand new from Skyjacker.

 

[AllanD]

Do you have a big C-clamp and a set of worn out brake pads?

Pump the brakes up pumping V - - E - - R - - Y S - - L - - O - - L - - Y

As you bleed the brakes you tend to get frustrated with the process

The more frustrated you get the faster you pump

Pumping fast tends to stir air into the fluid.

Best thing to do is take frequent beer breaks to let the air bubbles
rise to the top.

whenever you have difficulty bleeding brakes one way that always works
but is less than convenient... put a set of work out pads in position on
both sides and pump up the brakes again... very slowly... making sure
to keep the reservoir full and after the brake pistons are extended open
the bleeder and compress the caliper with the C-clamp.

Repeat as necissary.

AD

 

[Josh40601]

well guys, everyone is prolly going to make fun of me, but i found out the problem. When i put the 9" in, i didn't spread the shoes. When you would push the pedal down, they were not even contacting the inside of the drum. After adding some antisieze to the adjuster and spreading the shoes, the truck stops on a dime. Thanks for all your alls help

 

[dangerranger83]

Nothing better then taking frequent beer brakes, no matter what your doing on your ranger.