Squishy Brakes
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,437
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
Yes, this works the same as bypassing it. There is a accumulator that lets pressure bleed off when the comp senses the rear wheels locking up. Sometimes the valve leaks and fluid always goes into the accumulator. Remove the spring and the accumulator fills with fluid and stays full.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2013
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From: VA
It might have been different on yours. You may have ABS on all brakes. I'll look at mine.
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Posting Guru
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From: VA
Yes, this works the same as bypassing it. There is a accumulator that lets pressure bleed off when the comp senses the rear wheels locking up. Sometimes the valve leaks and fluid always goes into the accumulator. Remove the spring and the accumulator fills with fluid and stays full.
Still want to replace the rubber lines even if that works though. They're old, and it's a good maintenance item to replace to keep everything safe.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,118
Likes: 149
From: South Dakota
If you are stopped with the engine running and you pump the brake pedal about 15 times and then hold it down, will the brake pedal go down a lot less than 3 inches?
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From: VA
Maybe slightly different, but seems pretty much the same. What would that indicate?
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,118
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From: South Dakota
I know you have adjusted the rear brakes probably a couple times already. It can be real tricky to get them adjusted right, especially with self adjusting brakes that probably aren't working. If you find your pedal does stay up after pumping and holding the brake pedal, I will reply more.
At this point anything is just a guess.
New User
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Had similar issue
I just bought an under cared for 1995 f150 that had "squishy" breaks. We first replaced the master cylinder which didnt help but I'm cool with new parts. Then he went to do the rear adjustment everyone has mentioned and my spring kit was broken. When he replaced the spring kit and bled the new master cylinder, my brakes worked properly. I'm no specialist but this is how it worked for me and far as I'm concerned "squishy" brakes equals almost no brakes.
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Posting Guru
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From: VA
If after pumping the brake pedal about 15 times and holding it down firmly, the bake pedal would only go down say an inch or a little more, that would be a sign that the rear brake shoes need adjusted tighter. If your brake pedal still goes down nearly 3 inches after doing this you can disregard this.
I know you have adjusted the rear brakes probably a couple times already. It can be real tricky to get them adjusted right, especially with self adjusting brakes that probably aren't working. If you find your pedal does stay up after pumping and holding the brake pedal, I will reply more.
At this point anything is just a guess.
I know you have adjusted the rear brakes probably a couple times already. It can be real tricky to get them adjusted right, especially with self adjusting brakes that probably aren't working. If you find your pedal does stay up after pumping and holding the brake pedal, I will reply more.
At this point anything is just a guess.
I'm guessing this means that the rear is really the issue. Are my back brakes most likely worn out, badly adjusted, or what? I've adjusted the ring gear all over the place, and it doesn't really seem to be making a difference.
Guess the thing to do now is take the drums apart. What am I looking for?
Also, I'm picking up some new rubber lines for the front tomorrow, and I'll be ordering the hose for the back. Those may not be the issue, but their all getting really dried out (front ones with a few small cracks, but no leaks) and old, and they need to go.
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Posting Guru
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From: VA
I just bought an under cared for 1995 f150 that had "squishy" breaks. We first replaced the master cylinder which didnt help but I'm cool with new parts. Then he went to do the rear adjustment everyone has mentioned and my spring kit was broken. When he replaced the spring kit and bled the new master cylinder, my brakes worked properly. I'm no specialist but this is how it worked for me and far as I'm concerned "squishy" brakes equals almost no brakes.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,118
Likes: 149
From: South Dakota
Okay, I did this and got the pedal a lot harder. It took a lot of pumping, but it really stiffened the pedal up when I pumped it a lot. Also, the pedal was much harder when the parking brake was on.
I'm guessing this means that the rear is really the issue. Are my back brakes most likely worn out, badly adjusted, or what? I've adjusted the ring gear all over the place, and it doesn't really seem to be making a difference.
Guess the thing to do now is take the drums apart. What am I looking for?
I'm guessing this means that the rear is really the issue. Are my back brakes most likely worn out, badly adjusted, or what? I've adjusted the ring gear all over the place, and it doesn't really seem to be making a difference.
Guess the thing to do now is take the drums apart. What am I looking for?
In my opinion you could choose between two modes of action. Adjust the brakes up so tight you have a heavy drag on the wheel so you can barely turn the wheel, then back the adjuster off just enough to relieve most of the brake drag. Repeat with the other wheel. I know you have tried adjusting them, but this is the only method that works for me.
Method number two, remove the brake drum(s) and see what things look like in there. If badly worn replace the shoes and you may need to have the drums turned(smoothed up). At any rate if you remove the drums, get the self adjusters working. Then when you put the drums back on you can adjust the shoes so so and back the truck up in an open space and keep hitting the brake pedal and the brakes will self adjust tight enough.
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Posting Guru
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From: VA
It's hard to say how bad the brakes are worn, but they wouldn't be worn so bad that they shouldn't adjust up. That adjuster, which you referred to as the ring gear, will screw completely apart if you have enough space in there. You would have to have badly worn drums and worn out shoes for that to happen.
In my opinion you could choose between two modes of action. Adjust the brakes up so tight you have a heavy drag on the wheel so you can barely turn the wheel, then back the adjuster off just enough to relieve most of the brake drag. Repeat with the other wheel. I know you have tried adjusting them, but this is the only method that works for me.
Method number two, remove the brake drum(s) and see what things look like in there. If badly worn replace the shoes and you may need to have the drums turned(smoothed up). At any rate if you remove the drums, get the self adjusters working. Then when you put the drums back on you can adjust the shoes so so and back the truck up in an open space and keep hitting the brake pedal and the brakes will self adjust tight enough.
In my opinion you could choose between two modes of action. Adjust the brakes up so tight you have a heavy drag on the wheel so you can barely turn the wheel, then back the adjuster off just enough to relieve most of the brake drag. Repeat with the other wheel. I know you have tried adjusting them, but this is the only method that works for me.
Method number two, remove the brake drum(s) and see what things look like in there. If badly worn replace the shoes and you may need to have the drums turned(smoothed up). At any rate if you remove the drums, get the self adjusters working. Then when you put the drums back on you can adjust the shoes so so and back the truck up in an open space and keep hitting the brake pedal and the brakes will self adjust tight enough.
Tuned
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 338
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Yes, this works the same as bypassing it. There is a accumulator that lets pressure bleed off when the comp senses the rear wheels locking up. Sometimes the valve leaks and fluid always goes into the accumulator. Remove the spring and the accumulator fills with fluid and stays full.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,437
Likes: 4
From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
Yes that would indicate a bad RABS valve.
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2013
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From: miami,fl.
i also have an 88 f350 XLT lariat with 4x4 crewcab, longbed and 460ci. i had that same issue except my pedal would go almost to the floor before it would even think about stopping. what cured mine was about 20 minutes of gravity bleeding, and a rear brake adjustment. now my pedal is nice and high, and stop on a dime.