I have a 2001 ford ranger 4x4 lifted with 35in tires and my brakes suck they are very soft and I have to begin stopping very early at every light and stop sign. I have bleed the brakes many times trying to fix this problem but it has never worked. also my abs light is on but that shouldnt effect how good my brakes work...

 

Do 2001 Rangers have rear wheel only ABS or does yours have 4 wheel abs? Seems to me a good place to start would be to find out what the truck is trying to tell you with the ABS light. Can you pull the trouble code?

 

Let's start this in the engine compartment... since you bled your breaks I'm going to assume you checked the fluid too... do you have any oily spots around your reseviour or the lines you can see there ? If so, you need to find there source and change out the line as it may have a teeny tiny pin hole, if not, lets move on... Look under the driverside where those lines disappear from view out of the engine compartment.... see anything ? Now follow each liine through the frame all the way to each wheel, see anything ? No leeks there, what about the rubber lines at each of the front brake assemblies ? On the front, pop off the caliper and check the pad thickness, do you need to replace the pad ? is the caliper leaking (this will be hard to tell now that you have bled them) so have someone step on the brake as you look (DO THIS WHILE THE ASSEMBLY IS IN IT PROPER PLACE) CAN YOU SEE MORE FLUID ? IF NOT THE CALIPER SHOULDN'T BE LEAKING. As you follow the line to the rear you will not be able to see it past the gas tank, check closely for your oily spot as this is where mine often got broke rubbing the frame (I rerouted mine and encased it in rubber to stop this in the future. Still no leak, check the back brakes shoes, springs, drums. Replace if needed and adjust. Your tire size shouldn't effect the stopping ability... I got 30.5 on mine and no problem as long as I keep up my Preventive Maintenance. Replacement of breaks is usually every second time on the front = one time to the rear. This may vary depending on adjustments and individual driving habits.... has always rung true for me.

 

ok my truck does have 4 wheel abs and ford ran the code and it said my passenger abs sensor was bad so i am gonna get a new one and put it in and i do not have any leaks in system the fluid never gets low and pads are good I change them regularly

 

any way to put larger brakes on there ? is it disc or drums in rear ?

 

not really and its got drums in the back

 

i think the brakes are 9" in the rear and that is not the best combo for those big tires ! i believe that older dodges 1/2 tons ( mid - late 70s ) had the same bolt pattern for the wheels ( 5x4.5 ? ) , may be the whole assembly , drums and backing plate could be adapted , they were 11" ?

use to put ford brakes assembles on old CJ jeeps years ago and they helped out allot !

 

its not that my brakes cant stop the tires cause they can but they are really soft and bleeding them doesnt work

 

is the master cylinder old and wore out ?

 

already put a new one in it thinking that was it and it didnt help

 

are the rear brakes adjusted up tight , and how are the rear wheel cylinders ?

 

both are good

 

have you replaced the ABS sensor , and is there a bleeder on the ABS unite ?

 

not yet and no there isnt i dont think

 

i was thinking that there could be some air trapped in the ABS