2002 F250 super duty. New truck to me, had to replace the back rear caliper as PO somehow managed to break both mounting flanges. Got two new calipers & pads (rotors don't have a ridge on them) and installed this weekend. While working on the right side the line dripped freely for about a minute till I could get it stopped up. At no time did the reservoir get below the MIN line.

Went on to bleed the brakes with my Harbor Freight air-powered vacuum like I've done many times before. The brakes felt tight at the pedal, but when I actually started driving the pedal went down near to the floorboard before I had much stopping power.

So I got it back home, bled all four calipers this time again getting the pedal nice and firm while sitting in the drive. Went for another test ride and the same thing happened.. it felt good for a moment, now it goes down to the floor just about. Again, the reservoir never got below the MIN line.

Before I removed the back calipers, the brakes were tight (brand new rotors, calipers and pads up front - those were done a couple months ago).

What gives? Where could air be hiding that it would feel tight then go soft again?

 

I'm reading people talk about bleeding the ABS system. How/where is that done exactly. I know to bleed RR, LR, RF, LF for the calipers.. but have no idea where the ABS system is accessed/bled.

 

Can anyone take a crack at this? I bled the brake again tonight when I came home and there are no bubbles coming from the valves on the calipers. The brakes were perfect right before I changed the rear calipers (and let one of the hoses drain for a minute, allowing air to escape in teh system).

The big question mark in my head is where / how do I bleed the ABS module? I've looked around and can't find any other bleeder valves.

 

Typically you need a controller/scanner to cycle the ABS module, it's not a manual process.

 

This something that only the ford dealer will be able to do?

 

A dealer's IDS can do it, I think other higher end diagnostic scopes can, just not the basic handheld scanners. I've seen it done on Explorers, and Expedition and such, not 100% sure the SD is identical.

You can almost get the same benefit by engaging the ABS intentionally few times, then re-bleeding normally, so maybe go find a gravel or wet road and try locking the brakes up (safely!). Check the basics like your bleeders are on top on the new calipers, and go old school by tapping on each caliper with a peening hammer before you bleed it.

 

Thankfully I stumbled on a local shop with a scanner that has the Bleed Module option for my truck. I left it with them, they wanted $99 for the job which is fine for getting this done. It was my mistake, I should have clamped off the hose before pulling the line, like I usually do... and forgot.

 

Clamping off a soft brake line is not a good or safe procedure. You will cause the line to collapse, rupture or delaminate. These all are safety issues. Sounds like you still have air trapped? Are the bleeders on the calipers pointing up? They should be. Not sure on the anti-locking system. But you didnt go near that end of system when you were at the rear. You may very well have a bad soft line. I have seen them bulge and not burst giving the soft pedal feel. The cause was age, not properly supporting the line(letting the caliper hang with out support) and clamping off the line.

 

1) Calipers were supported
2) Lines were not clamped off
3) Brakes were tight the day before calipers were replaced

 

I regret taking the truck to the shop now. They had the scanner, but are telling me they used it to bleed the ABS module and I still have mushy brakes. They didn't know that you had to bleed the lines after bleeding the ABS module. Their next step was to suggest buying a new ABS module (when they hadn't even bled the rest of the lines as they are supposed to know to do).

 

Can you elaborate on this please? The rear caliper bleeders are located on the bottom side of the calipers. (front caliper bleeders are on top).

If you are bleeding the traditional way, how are you supposed to bleed with the valve on top? If you remove the lower bolt and rotate the caliper up, the second you start pumping the pedal you're gonna close the pistons and pads together making it extremely difficult to separate and get back on the disk.

 

The calipers are on the wrong side, you need to switch them across the truck. The bleed valve has to be on top for air to rise to it.

 

Wow. How could I have missed that. I hear Red Fox yelling at me from heaven. LOL.

Will flip them and re-bleed.

 

Don't feel bad. I did the same thing on my previous truck.


Something didn't "look" right to me, , so I went back and looked at the cellphone photo I'd snapped and after scratching my head for a while, I realized I had the calipers swapped. I love doing work over

 

I wouldn't be taking my truck back to that shop ever again. That should have been caught by a competent technician.