Brake Pedal too low
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 319
Likes: 18
Brake Pedal too low
2003 F150 Lariat. Just replaced Master Cylinder, because pedal was doing a slow, very slow sink towards the floor. Prior to changing MC, I bled brakes, still had a low, soft pedal. Took truck to a shop, they bled brakes, they work , but STILL go about about half way to the floor. Now I spent $80.00 for a MC, and $40.00 on bleeding, and the brakes aren 't much better than when I started ! For reference, my Hot Rod Lincoln has about an inch of pedal free play, then you are beginning to stop. Big difference, any help appreciated.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2014
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Alright, what's a Scan Tool, and what in the world does done in loose gravel mean ???????
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2019
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Around here we like a thing called a bed.
New User
Joined: Dec 2020
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From: WV
Subscribed to this thread as I just bought a 1998 F150 Lariat with what feels like too low of a pedal. The former owner had a decade's worth of receipts from a local shop - new pads, rotors, shoes, drums and brake fluid flush were recent repairs. I'd think the pedal would be pretty darn high and firm after all that. It does stop well once you get the brake pedal as low or lower than the gas pedal. And that's my concern - if someone else is driving this truck and isn't aware of how low the pedal must be depressed to fully engage the brakes and their foot is off to the side too much, they may be getting into the gas at the same time they're trying to hard brake.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Brentwood,CA
The ABS needs to be bled with a dealer level scan tool or equivalent. If this isn't available there is the poor mans trick of loose gravel or dirt in general. You want to make several low speed repeated full lock up brake applications to get the ABS to cycle. This opens up the ABS and purges trapped air back to the master cylinder.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2014
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Brake Pedal too low
The ABS needs to be bled with a dealer level scan tool or equivalent. If this isn't available there is the poor mans trick of loose gravel or dirt in general. You want to make several low speed repeated full lock up brake applications to get the ABS to cycle. This opens up the ABS and purges trapped air back to the master cylinder.
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Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2014
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Brake Pedal too low
The ABS needs to be bled with a dealer level scan tool or equivalent. If this isn't available there is the poor mans trick of loose gravel or dirt in general. You want to make several low speed repeated full lock up brake applications to get the ABS to cycle. This opens up the ABS and purges trapped air back to the master cylinder.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,354
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From: Winnipeg
As stated above, just go on a slippery surface, ice, water, gravel, dirt, etc. Say 3-20 mph, hammer the brake to the floor and hold it there. As any wheel locks up the abs will engage to release it and it will apply it again until lock up, repeating itself until the vehicle is stopped or the pedal is released. If you've never experienced abs before, with the pedal hammered to the floor and held, you should here the abs pump and feel a vibration in the pedal as well as have steering control. You will also feel the pedal sink slightly to the floor. Without abs and the wheels locked you would have little steering control which is one of the reasons abs exists. Living in the great white North my abs does a great deal of work.
Last edited by Lime1GT; Dec 13, 2020 at 12:58 PM. Reason: speed correction
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From: Home Base Nebraska
The ABS needs to be bled with a dealer level scan tool or equivalent. If this isn't available there is the poor mans trick of loose gravel or dirt in general. You want to make several low speed repeated full lock up brake applications to get the ABS to cycle. This opens up the ABS and purges trapped air back to the master cylinder.
now I know why the my the soft petal my 2003 F150 had disappeared after getting into some muddy roads and the ABS fired mutable times when I used the brakes.Denny
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The ABS needs to be bled with a dealer level scan tool or equivalent. If this isn't available there is the poor mans trick of loose gravel or dirt in general. You want to make several low speed repeated full lock up brake applications to get the ABS to cycle. This opens up the ABS and purges trapped air back to the master cylinder.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Winnipeg
The purged air from the abs module will be replaced by reservoir brake fluid. So the fluid level of the reservoir may drop. The reservoir cap seal is a form of bellow as well. The cap has a tiny slot in it on the atmosphere side to allow the bellow to extend or contract as brake fluid level drops.
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From: WV
Any guess about how many activations of the ABS system it would take to get any air purged and the pedal to come up a bit, if that were the cause for the low pedal?
I did about 4 or 5 activations on some gravel road last night, no change.
We're expecting some snow on Wednesday, so I should have ample opportunity to activate ABS at will.
Thanks!
I did about 4 or 5 activations on some gravel road last night, no change.
We're expecting some snow on Wednesday, so I should have ample opportunity to activate ABS at will.
Thanks!
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