Yellowtruck

Here's my issue: My brakes have gone from great to a POS over the past couple of years. My brakes work, I just can't come to a fast, screeching stop. Just a few months ago, I thought I would change out my pads with some performance pads. Didn't help. We bled and bled and bled, over the period of a few weeks. Still no better.
Next, we noticed that one of my calipers were gummed up and a couple of pistons weren't doing their job. I figured that was the issue and replaced them both. Still no better.
Next....I had my rotors replaced with performance rotors. Surely this would be an improvement. A little. And yes, I did have my master cyl AND my booster checked by my local mechanic. According to him, they were working fine. My lines "look" good, no bulging, cracked or leaking lines.
Before I go ahead and replace my master cyl and booster, has anyone encountered this problem before or got any ideas?
All in all, I think I have already put approx $600 into fixing this gosh darn problem. I finally had to take a long break from it and move on to other projects. Now it's back on my mind.
FYI: I have no problem replacing both my master cyl and my booster but.....if this damn problem still exists afterwards..........

NwRunner

Have you ever thought of tire size?
maybe they are to big for your breaks to work as you want

Yellowtruck

That shouldn't be the issue. When I bought it 8 years ago, it came with the same size tires but, with swampers. Those tires rode like a drunken 10 year old but, the brakes worked great....at the time. That was one of my wifes worries..."how good are the brakes this truck your buying".

loacyota

The booster could be getting weak, its just a rubber diaphram. I had a friends 4 runner that the master went bad(no brakes) I replaced the master, then couldnt stop without standing on the pedal. The master had leaked internally into the booster ruining it.Kinda sounds like your starting to have the same problem. To bad a booster runs almost $400 =( Also make sure the rear brakes are in adjustment, even though that would make the fronts grab, its a good thing to do

Yellowtruck

My guess is that it is either the booster or master, or both. I might as well just buy both new parts and get them out of the way.
When I do brake, I got some pedal distance and then I come to a slower than average stop. Iv'e come close to kissing someone's a** on morethan one occassion.
Damn. Looks like I gotta buy my wife a Coach purse so she'll shut up when I fork out another $600 on my on-going brake problem.

mr x

have you looked at the rear brakes at all? I just learned that my parking brakes have been stuck on for the past year, I'm sure they're warn out by now. My truck doesn't stop very good either.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Several national chains do free brake inspections, try there for a 2nd opinion diagnosis.

Have you checked your rear brakes at all? Parking brake?

Not that many variables left to alleviate based on your history.

CJM

Check the drums. I had the same issue with my T100 and it turned out to be out of round drums.

zlathim

Check the rear brakes for wear or adjustment issues before you spend the money on a MC and booster. If they are not in adjustment or are worn out, the rear brakes will have a significant effect on overall brake performance.

Yellowtruck

Thanks guys! To be honest, we had only "mildly" checked the rear brakes. It was on our to-do list but, after some frustration we decided to put the brake issue on hold on work on a few other things.
As a matter of fact, I am having issues with my E brake also. I have already adjusted 2-3 times. I have to pull it like a mother to get it to hold on an incline.
I'll check my rear brakes/drums this weekend! Just not today....it's beer-friday!

Brenjen

I agree, having front brakes only feel weak & won't stop you well & could be the problem. They are also very dangerous on wet or low traction surfaces.

You might also want to go back to the first post & get rid of the cuss words before a mod gets to it. The GD might offend more than the other simpler form & might get the post reported.

Just a friendly heads up that this is a "family oriented" site.

dewitt88

Booster...I had this same issue on another vehicle. It seems as if no matter what you do they never get better. Ours were on the floor and would not come up. We changed the booster (Seal inside blew out) Looked good as far as appearance but when we pulled the master cylinder off you could see how bad it was.

Pull the master cylinder off and see what it looks like.

bcope

well whats the pedal feel like.
does it go away (sinks to floor) when your in the driveway parked, truck running. any vibes when stopping?

spongey pedal? with the way your describing its vaccum/booster, front rear bias?

do you have any idea what shape the rears are in?
e-brake, shoes out of adjustment, just plain wore out rear shoes will do this stuff.

You know it is ok to test without the booster hooked up. The vacuum line that is, plug it so the motor isnt leaking vacuum and take it for a spin. Obviously dont test 40 mph panic stop and shhitt but you can putt around the block "feel" what your brakes actually "feel" like. it is consiberably harder to stop but if it isnt much different then before walah. Process of elimination. hows that vacuum line to the booster? a leak right there will kill the brakes.

at this point i'd be surprised if finally throwing 600 more at it will fix anything. unless you get the magical part that solves everything

Let me put it this way.
Ive seen just a vacuum weak motor ie bad valve(s), vacuum leak somewhere else, rings, blow by, compression leak off affect the braking of a car?

Not saying you have a hunk of a truck but the grimlines are just that you get one and that bastard will have you looking right at something and hiding somewhere else.

Once a clip finally let go under my 65 pick up and the flex that was then allowed from the metal line "Bowing" made it feel like my brakes faded after 15 min of cruising the strip. and i mean the metal line was bowing over 4 feet or so along the frame but was only flexing 1/4-1/2 inch from the frame it was supposed to be clipped to. and that was the rear brakes!

I just hate to see you piss the other half off and yourself when a booster doesnt fix what you want.

Maybe some other things to look at.

bcope

amen to beer friday!

Been hiding on this site all day at work.

TIC TOC
Where the heck is 5oclock?

Lysmachia

Yeah heads up guys, I have cleaned up a few posts. Please re-read rule #3
https://www.yotatech.com/ytrules.php

If it is not said on Prime time TV - then don't say it here. It's the rule I go by. The Gosh Darn word might be said, but as a rule I really ask folks to avoid religious conotation - colorful phrases..

Thanks yo!

Yellowtruck

A thorough, down and dirty rear brake check it is. "Hopefully" I find my problem there....before I go spending $ on parts that may or may not solve the problem. Nothing upsets me more than spending hard earned money on needless parts.

By the way: had no idea any cuss words were said, in my terms or in others. I went back and checked but honestly, I didn't see what was offensive. Either way....apologies to anyone that might have been offended by anything that was said, by myself or anyone else within this thread.

That said.....thanks to all for your input!
It's beer time....finally! Woohoo!