soft brake pedal
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 53
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soft brake pedal
Two week-ends ago I replaced the front pads on my
97 f-250 Super Duty 4x4 crew cab
This past week-end it was nice outside so after
owning the truck for three years I decided to replace the rear drum brakes,which were wore but
not into the metal. While I was disassembling my wife went to get the new brakes,but they were 3/8"to 1/2" to narrow, so I took the originals back to swap had to go to a f-350 number to match up . Sunday night going to work pedal was poor...so monday morning I opened the drums back up and opened the pads up manually and put back together...Monday night going to work it was no better pedal felt decent but keeps going to the floor, the wheel cylinders were'nt leaking
so I did'nt mess with them, Long story short should I bleed all 4 wheels???next
Thank-you for your time!!!
97 f-250 Super Duty 4x4 crew cab
This past week-end it was nice outside so after
owning the truck for three years I decided to replace the rear drum brakes,which were wore but
not into the metal. While I was disassembling my wife went to get the new brakes,but they were 3/8"to 1/2" to narrow, so I took the originals back to swap had to go to a f-350 number to match up . Sunday night going to work pedal was poor...so monday morning I opened the drums back up and opened the pads up manually and put back together...Monday night going to work it was no better pedal felt decent but keeps going to the floor, the wheel cylinders were'nt leaking
so I did'nt mess with them, Long story short should I bleed all 4 wheels???next
Thank-you for your time!!!
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,903
Likes: 1
From: MICHIGAN
Could be a master cylinder gone bad.
Did you check the fluid in the master cylinder?
If you don't have a leak or lost brake fluid bleeding them probably won't help.
This is a silly question but I have to ask, Did you adjust the brakes after installation?
Did you replace the drums and shoes together or just the shoes?
Did you get the correct diameter shoes? There are a few different sizes:
12x3.0 for F-250 H.D. 4x2 & 4x4 All F-350 SRW
11-1/32x2.25 for F-150 Bronco
12x2.5 for F-250 4x2, 4x4 All Cabs
12-1/8x3.5 for F-350/DRW
Did you check the fluid in the master cylinder?
If you don't have a leak or lost brake fluid bleeding them probably won't help.
This is a silly question but I have to ask, Did you adjust the brakes after installation?
Did you replace the drums and shoes together or just the shoes?
Did you get the correct diameter shoes? There are a few different sizes:
12x3.0 for F-250 H.D. 4x2 & 4x4 All F-350 SRW
11-1/32x2.25 for F-150 Bronco
12x2.5 for F-250 4x2, 4x4 All Cabs
12-1/8x3.5 for F-350/DRW
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 14,325
Likes: 14
From: Island Southeast Alaska
Your rear brakes are self adjusting if installed and the star adjuster is lubed and working properly. They are designed to adjust by backing up and applying the brakes firmly. If this don't work than get both rear wheels of the ground and manually adjust through the hole with the rubber plug on the backing plate till the brakes just start to drag. Do both rears even. Than as they are designed to self adjust, every time ya back out of a parking lot and stop they will take up the slack if any.
If ya are positive that all the above is in proper working order than renew the fluid at a brake shop as they have the presser bleeder to do the job right and fast.
If ya are positive that all the above is in proper working order than renew the fluid at a brake shop as they have the presser bleeder to do the job right and fast.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 12,835
Likes: 3
From: Silver Lake Dunes, MI
well i tried to reply to this thread earlier but had connection problems. yes I would guess that the rear brakes need to be adjusted up tighter. Artic is right they are self adjusting but I have rarely seen and that actually work well. they take some of the slack up but not as tight as they should be.
can you pump the pedal 2 or 3 times and get a hard pedal? if you can its just adjustment needed.
Did you have the brakes lines off at all? Did you replace the Wheel cylinders? if you didn't then you shouldn't have air in the system requiring bleeding.
can you pump the pedal 2 or 3 times and get a hard pedal? if you can its just adjustment needed.
Did you have the brakes lines off at all? Did you replace the Wheel cylinders? if you didn't then you shouldn't have air in the system requiring bleeding.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,259
Likes: 17
From: Gambrills
This is what happened to me but I don't recomend it. I changed my rear brake line over the summer, ah summer. Anyway, it was the break line from somewhere under the driver door to the "split on the rear axle (long run). I couldn't get that pedal to pump up for anything after bleeding the whole rear system forever (seems like 2 gallons of DOT III). After saying to myself "Self, you just have to be careful as you drive because your pedal does not have meat". I drove with a soft pedal for almost 2 months, then suddenly over night I had a pedal. I don't know the ryhme or reason but thats what happened. I don't recomend you follow the path I took because I just got lucky.....OR maybe the innocent people I was driving around just got lucky! I think someone here can get you going in the right direction. Good Luck!
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 14,325
Likes: 14
From: Island Southeast Alaska
Rent a pressure bleeder and renew the system after adjusting up the rear shoes till they drag. If still not right replace Master cylinder
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Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2004
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I'm still having a soft pedal... Tuesday nite jacked truck up and adjusted until I heard them drag the drums ,went to work that nite and still had a soft pedal,so Wednesday morning when I got home I jacked it back up and adjusted until they were really rubbing
went to work last nite and they were a little better but not what I want for having new brakes all the way around!!! E-mergency brake not holding,this morning I pulled the plugs and marked where the star was.
If the star adjuster was back-wards would it keep backing off instead of getting tight in reverse??? It seeems like the pass-side moved that's why I scribed a line to see how it does tonite when I go to work.
Thanks again for everyones time Marty
went to work last nite and they were a little better but not what I want for having new brakes all the way around!!! E-mergency brake not holding,this morning I pulled the plugs and marked where the star was.
If the star adjuster was back-wards would it keep backing off instead of getting tight in reverse??? It seeems like the pass-side moved that's why I scribed a line to see how it does tonite when I go to work.
Thanks again for everyones time Marty
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 14,325
Likes: 14
From: Island Southeast Alaska
Did you say that if ya keep pressure on the pedal it would keep going down? And that you had no leaks? If so than the pressure is bleeding by the master cyl. I have seen where renewing the fluid with a pressure bleeder will get the gunk out of the master that was put there when ya compressed the calipers. Renew the fluid and if that don't fix it replace or overhaul the Master cyl.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,756
Likes: 38
From: Nampa, ID
To make sure you have the star adjuster correctly installed, when you adjusted the brakes the last time, did you need to lift up the handle of your adjusting tool to tighten the brakes, or did you push down the handle?
If you lifted up on the handle to tighten, it's installed backwards. Lifting up on the handle should retract the brake shoes, not tighten them.
If you lifted up on the handle to tighten, it's installed backwards. Lifting up on the handle should retract the brake shoes, not tighten them.
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2004
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The passenger side is up, to tighten ,I know this because I marked the direction with liquid paper next to the hole where the rubber plug goes,the driver side is down looking from under the truck!