I've read here and elsewhere all I could find relative to my thread title and feel ambiguous enough on what I found to post a new thread. What shows up often is adjusting the master cylinder push rod but am I correct in my understanding that the 2011 e150 master cylinder push rod is not adjustable?

New to me 2011 E-150, 113k, pads are fresh, wheel bearings seem ok, no overt rotor warping (very very very slight pulsing maybe), assume the rotors have probably been turned at least once. I pressure bled everything at 15 psi and no air came out.

If I press the pedal without a pump it will travel approximately 3/4 (I think) to the floor. One slight pump and they grab about where they should....I can duplicate this without moving. I've talked to the tech at my local dealer regarding bleeding the abs system and he said "we can do that if you need but it's an open system". With that I see all kinds of stuff on online & youtube about activating the abs solenoid to bleed.

I'm a competent driveway mechanic and have never not been able to sort out brakes but don't want to throw money and time at solutions that don't work. Any advice appreciated.

*One last thing, if I panic brake without a pump it pulls ever so slightly to the right. Also the driver side lower ball joint is shot so not sure if that's a factor here.

Thanks for any input

 

This turned out to be a seized rear caliper guide pin.

Took a look at my pads and noticed they were wearing uneven. Went to change my pads and could not budge a guide pin. Even an impact and torch heat (enough to eventually melt the boot) would not budge it. Both of the rear caliper lower guide pin rubber boot/covers were missing as they seem pretty vulnerable. The other side was gummed up and rusty but free.

What gets me is the previous owner clearly had a shop try to figure out the brake issue & subsequently perhaps why I scored the van so cheap. I spent a bunch of money and time myself having a shop "fix" the issue. In retrospect, not being familiar with these calipers, discovering a seized guide pin seems like a no brainier. Any tech worth his salt should've seen it straight away. $75 new caliper including bracket & all and I finally have real brakes on this thing.

Just wanted to follow up now that's it's solved. Notable mention, gravity bleeding works fantastic, had never tried it before.