Got this truck from my uncle, " just needed new calipers" LMAO I knew better. We have replaced the calipers which were bad, rear wheel cylinders, pads/shoes, master cylinder and brake power-booster and hoses. Heck I'll have this truck for years to come so I figured why not it had been sitting for a few. The pedal still drops to the floor with very little braking power unless you use the parking brake, and yes we have bled them to death, cleared the whole system of old fluid. Everyone says to keep bleeding them which we will keep doing but wondering if there is anything else we should be looking at? It seems to run great other wise.
Thanks
Windy

 

Are you sure you got the springs on correctly in the rear? Did you take pictures before and put them back correctly - assuming they were correct at the start? I'm asking because the fact the emergency brake makes it seem to work correctly suggests the problem is in the rear.

 

Are the calipers bolted in place when you are bleeding them?

 

I would have loved to taken pictures of them but when i pulled off the drums the springs all sprung and broke. I used a picture posted on this forum to replace them but I will check again in the morning.THanks

 

And, did you bleed the master cylinder on the bench?

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...e-diagram.html is where i got the diagram,my son had the wheels still off so i checked and the brake springs are correct. I did bench bleed the master cylindar, and bled the calipers on the truck.

 

Those pic's should have done the trick. And, having bled the M/C on the bench, I'm out of ideas. Unless you have wrong parts somewhere. Did you match old with new?

 

I did match the parts, I make the parts places crazy with that.

I appreciate the help, I was the first grandchild and all my uncles raced the clay oval and I was at their heels all the time so they taught me a lot and I do pretty decent fixing my cars, but there are times when I have done the tried and true it leaves me stumped and I have been picking everyone brain so I appreciate all the ideas.
Windy

 

Don't give up yet. I'm no brake expert. In fact, I'm no expert at all. But, someone that knows what s/he is talking about will be along soon and may well solve the problem.

 

How much travel is there in the parking brake?

Did you use that star wheel to adjust the rear brakes out as far as possible before they start touching? I had a time getting that straight with my rear brakes, but it's worth it.

 

Not quite sure what you mean about parking brake travel, two clicks and they are fully engaged but i can force them to the floor.

I did use the star wheel adjustment and got the a partial turn before they start touching. I tightened them to touching and backed off a little bit

 

You said the pedal won't tighten up unless you push in the parking brake?

The parking brake mechanically pulls the brake shoes to the drum.

Can you pump the pedal REALLY fast and get the pedal to tighten up?

Did you bench bleed the master cylinder before putting it in the truck, or did you bench bleed it in the truck, then hook up the brake lines and bleed the lines?

If it was bench bled, and there's no air in the lines, you might have to adjust your shoes.

This means that you need to get under the truck, jack up the rear end so either one or both tires are off the ground, and spin the tire while adjusting the brake shoes with the adjusting star and a flat-bill screwdriver until your brake shoes are adjusted correctly.

There's a rubber plug on the backing plate of the rear brakes. Down near the bottom on the 8.8'' rears, I know.

Spinning the adjusting star towards the tire will cause the brakes to tighten up, spinning the star away from the tire will cause the tire to loosen up. This is true for both tires, and this means that when you do it, make sure that you're going the right direction on whichever side you do it on.

You'll want to spin each wheel, adjusting the star 1 or 2 clicks at a time until the brake shoes just start to catch, then just a little more at a time until the resistance feels right. Lower one side, then do the other.

Go too far with adjusting the brake shoes and your brakes will drag while you drive, meaning low gas mileage, a harder working motor, and wearing out your brand new shoes pretty quick.

You might want to look up some videos on adjusting brake shoes on youtube.

After you get the shoes adjusted, and your brakes start to come back and act right, then you'll want to go either out in the yard, your street, or a parking lot, and make sure nobody is around that you could back into. Pull the truck in reverse, gun it, then slam on the brakes really hard. If your self-adjuster is hooked up right and isn't frozen, then this should adjust them the rest of the way. I've heard this from others on here.

You want to make sure you've got somewhat decent brakes before you do this though, as you could imagine. Hence, my saying you should adjust the brakes while parked first.

Other than that, I don't know.

EDIT:

I take my sweet time typing up a nice response for someone and then everyone is jumpin' in. Bah humbug.

 

I wont give up, I actually love this truck been begging to buy it since he got it lol.

 

Can you pump the pedal REALLY fast and get the pedal to tighten up?

Yes it does.

Did you bench bleed the master cylinder before putting it in the truck, or did you bench bleed it in the truck, then hook up the brake lines and bleed the lines?

First we bench bled it out of the truck , when the petal was still squishy we unhooked the lines and did it again in the truck.

Go too far with adjusting the brake shoes and your brakes will drag while you drive, meaning low gas mileage, a harder working motor, and wearing out your brand new shoes pretty quick.

Backed them off so they had just stopped dragging...

After you get the shoes adjusted, and your brakes start to come back and act right, then you'll want to go either out in the yard, your street, or a parking lot, and make sure nobody is around that you could back into. Pull the truck in reverse, gun it, then slam on the brakes really hard. If your self-adjuster is hooked up right and isn't frozen, then this should adjust them the rest of the way. I've heard this from others on here.

I have done that before but since they are so slow to start braking I am a wee bit hesitant to try this yet. There is no "slamming on the brakes" they just go to the floor stopping nothing.

 

Starting to think maybe the calipers I got aren't working correctly, is there any way to tell?