Squishy Brakes
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,933
Likes: 0
From: VA
Squishy Brakes
The brakes on my truck aren't bad, but they don't grip right when I get on the brake pedal. The brake pedal has about 3 inches of room where I can press down and all it'll do is turn on the brake lights. Then if I go further down on the pedal it stops fine, the brakes engage fine. If I slam on brakes, it works fine and locks the brake up nicely. I just want to eliminate all of that brake pedal travel before the brakes engage.
My truck is a 1988 F-350. I have disc brakes in the front, drums in the back, and the original brake booster setup (replaced by a previous owner). I just recently adjusted the drum brakes to grip better because the shoes had worn down a little, and they seem to be working okay. Haven't touched the front disc brakes.
Why do I have all of that brake pedal travel before the brakes engage? Do I just need to bleed the system?
Thanks in advance!
My truck is a 1988 F-350. I have disc brakes in the front, drums in the back, and the original brake booster setup (replaced by a previous owner). I just recently adjusted the drum brakes to grip better because the shoes had worn down a little, and they seem to be working okay. Haven't touched the front disc brakes.
Why do I have all of that brake pedal travel before the brakes engage? Do I just need to bleed the system?
Thanks in advance!
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,933
Likes: 0
From: VA
What would you look at other than adjusting the rear drums? How much resistance should there be on the wheel spinning freely when the drum is adjusted right?
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,933
Likes: 0
From: VA
The brakes grip a little bit for the first about 3 inches, then they grip much better. If I really slam on brakes, they'll try to throw me through the front of the truck.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,118
Likes: 149
From: South Dakota
There is no adjustment on disc brakes. Getting drum brakes adjusted tight enough but not too tight can be tricky at times. The best way I've read was for adjusting the old pre self adjusting brakes. It said tighten them until a heavy drag is felt while turning the wheel, then back off just enough to relieve the drag. With self adjusting brakes, to back them off(loosen them) you have to stick a skinny screwdriver or similar through the adjuster hole and hold the self adjuster tang back at the same time you back the adjuster off.
With the drivetrain drag on the rear wheels it's tougher yet to feel the brake drag.
With the drivetrain drag on the rear wheels it's tougher yet to feel the brake drag.
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,933
Likes: 0
From: VA
There is no adjustment on disc brakes. Getting drum brakes adjusted tight enough but not too tight can be tricky at times. The best way I've read was for adjusting the old pre self adjusting brakes. It said tighten them until a heavy drag is felt while turning the wheel, then back off just enough to relieve the drag. With self adjusting brakes, to back them off(loosen them) you have to stick a skinny screwdriver or similar through the adjuster hole and hold the self adjuster tang back at the same time you back the adjuster off.
With the drivetrain drag on the rear wheels it's tougher yet to feel the brake drag.
With the drivetrain drag on the rear wheels it's tougher yet to feel the brake drag.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,933
Likes: 0
From: VA
I wouldn't be too worried about the brakes at all except for towing. The truck never had a tow hitch on it in it's life until I put one on it this winter. I'll be pulling a few boat/trailers around this coming spring and summer. The biggest one is about 6500 pounds boat/trailer/fuel/gear, and the trailer has good brakes, but I want to make sure the truck brakes are decent too. Like I said, the brakes stop hard when I really lay down on them, so that's the most important thing of all.
I recently had about 2k pounds in the bed of my truck on a run to the dump, and there was no questioning stopping, so it shouldn't be an issue. It's just one of those little things that bothers me. I'd rather have brake response within an inch of hitting the brake instead of 3 inches.
I recently had about 2k pounds in the bed of my truck on a run to the dump, and there was no questioning stopping, so it shouldn't be an issue. It's just one of those little things that bothers me. I'd rather have brake response within an inch of hitting the brake instead of 3 inches.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 4
From: Lafayette, IN
If the star adjuster and everything else in the drum brakes are working properly and properly lubed, the drum brakes are self-adjusting. The wheels should spin with just a slight drag, then you get in the truck, fire it up, then do several hard brakes in reverse.
The key is that you have to have them close to fully adjusted, otherwise they won't self-adjust, and believe me, you would know the difference if the drum brakes weren't working. In a '93 F250 I used to have, I did the rear brakes and didn't get them adjusted correctly the first time, so that first day driving to work and back was a little hairy. The fronts got me stopped, but I could smell 'em... Another quick adjustment that night, then the self-adjust procedure, and all was good again.
Jason
The key is that you have to have them close to fully adjusted, otherwise they won't self-adjust, and believe me, you would know the difference if the drum brakes weren't working. In a '93 F250 I used to have, I did the rear brakes and didn't get them adjusted correctly the first time, so that first day driving to work and back was a little hairy. The fronts got me stopped, but I could smell 'em... Another quick adjustment that night, then the self-adjust procedure, and all was good again.
Jason
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,933
Likes: 0
From: VA
About the dark fluid, does that mean I should bleed the system and replace with new fluid?
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,933
Likes: 0
From: VA
Okay, so I guess I'll bleed the brake system and get new fluid in it. Maybe it'll help my braking a little bit too if there's any air/dirt in the system. Do drums have a bleeder screw or some sort of equivalent on them like the disc brakes?