Frustration with Brakes

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Nov 7, 2009 | 09:54 PM

stangfan78

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Frustration with Brakes

Here's my problem. I replaced almost everything brake related on my 80 F100 pickup. Everything replaced includes; booster, master cylinder, front rotors, front calipers, front pads, front hoses, rear wheel cylinders, rear shoes, rear hardware, and most of the lines and fittings. I have adjusted the rear brakes and bled correctly starting with the rear passenger side and filling the reservoir . Even with all the brakes bled the pedal is still soft. The pedal has a little resistance with the engine off and none with it running. I tripled checked and I am not leaking fluid anywhere that I can find. I have bled several times with no air coming out. Any idea what else I can check?

Nov 7, 2009 | 09:58 PM

Franklin2

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From: Virginia

Did you bench bleed the master cylinder?

Nov 7, 2009 | 10:01 PM

stangfan78

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yes, I did that when I installed it

Nov 7, 2009 | 10:13 PM

Franklin2

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From: Virginia

I assume it had the plugs and when you bench bled it, toward the end the piston would not move at all when you pushed it?

And the booster is not making a hissing noise?

When you adjusted the rear brakes, you adjusted them out till you could not turn the wheel or drum, and then backed them off till they would turn but still rub a little bit?

And go around and make sure all your bleeders are on top. On the rear system, the bleeder should be above the brake line where it enters the wheel cylinder. On the front, make the bleeders are at the highest point on the caliper. If you accidentally swapped them from one side to the other, the bleeder will be on the bottom.

Nov 7, 2009 | 10:23 PM

stangfan78

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You may be on to something, the bleeders are on the bottom of the front calipers. I did adjust the rear brakes as you said.

Nov 7, 2009 | 10:27 PM

Franklin2

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From: Virginia

Quote:

the bleeders are on the bottom of the front calipers

That's it. Make sure the rear ones are correct too. The rear ones bit me one time. I bet I bled that thing 40 times. A little bubble will get trapped at the top and will not come out no matter how much you bleed the brakes.

Nov 7, 2009 | 10:32 PM

stangfan78

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I hope that's it. I may swap them tomorrow. Thanks for your help.

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Nov 8, 2009 | 01:10 PM

JimsRebel

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From: Washington

I also had a small air bubble in my front caliper; it was hanging by a wire with a piece of wood stuffed in it. I thought it would be easier to get at the bleeder screw this way and I could us a 6 pt socket. It looked like it was hanging very close to the correct orientation but it was maybe 10 degrees off from the correct position. I ran a lot of brake fluid though the system before I bolted the caliper to the truck and got a little air out it.

So it your bleeders are on the bottom I would guess you have been buying your brake in the LARGE bottles, don’t ask me how I know…….

Don’t feel too bad about this, I have worked on aircraft a lot and they have the bleed screws on the bottom of the calipers, BUT they are pressure filled (after draining) from the bottom until it starts to fills the reservoir at the top of the system.

good luck. Jim