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brakes soft?

2K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  fixitmattman 
#1 ·
Okay here's the problem.

I've had to really mash the pedal to stop a few times recently and notice that my brakes don't lock up. I do not have ABS. With the car off I can pump the pedal a bit and it will be stiff and won't go down. But when stoping I always have to use more push power than other cars I've driven.
With the car just idling I can push the pedal down almost to the floor and I get a little squeak/groan (real quiet) when I'm almost at the floor.
I just bled the brakes and master cylinder again, and I still have this problem. I also have about 1-1.5 inches of dead brake pedal.

New rotors/pads 1 year ago,been bled 2 or 3 times now.
Any ideas or suggestions? I want a nice firmer pedal like other cars.
 
#2 ·
Check your front calipers to see if they slide smoothly. Mine were all gummed up and corroded so I had to take them off (the pins) and polish them down a bit.. then greased them up really well. Now they work much better. I'd still prefer a little less pedal effort.. but the pedal is much firmer, much more predictable, and I can lock them up on command.
 
#6 ·
I agree with the above suggestions... although isn't brake and all hydrolic fluid red!?

I'd replace the brake fluid and check for proper operation of the slides etc. Then if that doesn't fix it check the brake lines going to the caliper. The older they are the more they will flex or bulge when you hit the brakes. Braided brake lines are a good way to fix that and even improve it beyond new rubber lines.
 
#8 ·
The way I understood it the handbrake is a seperate way to operate the same rear brakes. I.E. If someone cuts your brakes lines or they fail, you can operate them manually via a cable. I still don't see what the brakes being soft has to do with this. Mine are like that too. When I tightened up my handbrake they did get slightly better, I'm not real sure why. Right after I got it working again I locked them up severa times on accident. Maybe it's just a coincidence.
 
#9 ·
I think this is how they are adjusted on our cars but im not sure but here goes, when you pull the e-brake it has like a gear inside the calaper that moves the piston out to engage the brakes and i think if it moves out enough it adjusts the piston so it takes up the excess travel so when you push on the brakes it doesnt have to move as far and the brakes engage with less pedal travel since the piston doesnt have to move as far before the brakes apply. Once again im not really sure if that is how ours work but at least i tried. :D
 
#10 ·
Black_Knight said:
Okay here's the problem.
I also have about 1-1.5 inches of dead brake pedal.

New rotors/pads 1 year ago,been bled 2 or 3 times now.
Any ideas or suggestions? I want a nice firmer pedal like other cars.
So I'm not the only one with the first 2" of brake pedal not doing anything either. I also have new brake comonents across the car, less rear drums (still ok). As for the problem, I'm with foxy, brake fluid. I've been meaning to change mine for a while, and also install stainless braided flex lines all around as the stock ones have seen better days. A little bit of moisture in the lines can easily cause this problem, you should find they get better and worse with temperature as the moisture expands, contracts, and becomes compressed at different rates.

Locking up the brakes in an emergency situation is not a good thing, trust me :roll: . That's why they invented ABS in the first place. In only a couple of situations does plowing to a stop actually beat ABS.

Brake fluid is clear when new. Ford also recommends that it be changed every couple of years (can't remember exactly off the top of my head). That could also be the cause of the problem as mine is still original. Over nine years and counting.....

Food for thought :wink:

Matt 8)
 
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