Ok I practically give up. 96 T100 4wd x-cab. I am posting this here b/c its the same setup 86-89 runners and 86-95 trucks used.

My brake pedal still doesnt feel very well even though I did the following:
-Adjusted the rears within spec
-Bled the brakes (in this order: RR, RL, FR, FL, LSPV) about 10x already and ran all new fluid in by now-no change really Doing the 2 man method and tried a 1 man motive bleeder too
-New pads up front already.
-Checked pads and drums, there fine.

Yet I still can barely fit my foot under the pedal. I want the pedal much higher but it seems no matter what i do it doesnt move much if at all. I mean the truck stops, but its not exactly to my liking.

So what gives, the brake booster going bad or is it something else? Master seems fine I guess.

 

What do you mean that the pedal "doesn't feel well"?
The pedal feels mushy?
Does it fail to spring back after you step on it?

I think that if the brake booster is failing, you'd have a hard pedal all the time (or at least intermittently). It would feel like you're applying wicked pressure to the pedal and getting minimal results. Depress the brake with the engine off, then start the vehicle. The brake pedal should then sink if the booster is working properly.


If it's a mushy pedal, maybe you accidentally drew some air into the system. I had endless problems bleeding my brakes properly (I'm not retarded!). Then I used somebody's advice online and attached a 1/4" vacuum line to the bleeder, extending down into a glass jar full of clean brake fluid.
**This eliminates the possibility of accidentally drawing air back into the system as you struggle to open and close the bleeder valve.**
Just leave the bleeder open, and you can see the air bubbles expelling into the jar of fluid as your buddy pumps the brakes. Have him/her keep pumping the pedal till no more bubbles are apparent, then close off the valve.

I've also been told that if you get air bubbles into your ABS system, they're all but impossible to get out. Anybody?

How much pad and shoe life do you have left? If you're getting down there to 10 or 15% remaining friction material, you're gonna have more pedal travel.

 

Pads have 10k on them at best, shoes were done about 20k ago. I mean the pedal feels spongy, it doesnt require alot of effort to push but it simply doesnt feel a bit like I would like to be. my work van (96 E150) pedal is quite nice, i barely touch it and it grabs great, thats what I want.

Maybe I should try bleeding them again tomorrow using the method you suggested. usually I just gravity bleed and let it flow right out and have zero issues with other vehicles.

 

I have ABS and I used the method spindleshanks recommended. It works like a charm. After having mushy brakes for years, I put on new rotors, pads and shoes and used the method he described to get a braking system that feels better than when I bought the truck in 2001.

 

Ok so consensus is to bleed them using a hose line and a glass jar with brake fluid in it. Stopping each time ti top off the master right?

I am gonna give it a go tomorrow if I have time, if not then I am gonna take it to my shop and have my buddy give me a try.

According to him (I spoke to'em after i posted this) the drums are adjusted fine, matter of fact we done it at least 3x now. he thinks I am nuts..

 

Ok so consensus is to bleed them using a hose line and a glass jar with brake fluid in it. Stopping each time ti top off the master right?

I am gonna give it a go tomorrow if I have time, if not then I am gonna take it to my shop and have my buddy give me a try.

According to him (I spoke to'em after i posted this) the drums are adjusted fine, matter of fact we done it at least 3x now. he thinks I am nuts..

Back story is I bought the truck with bad rotors/front pads. Had my mechanic at the time replace them with hawh truck/suv pads and brembos. Caliper locked up and it pulled to the one side, so he replaced it with a loaded caliper (pads already, mine were shot on that side). It still pulled and I brought it back 5x and gave up, replaced the pads all over again and it was fine but the pedal was mushy.

Went wheeling and the rears picked up water, rubber stoppers were long gone. Adjusted them a bit but it didnt help, then asked a buddy with a shop to help and we adjusted them but the pedal still feels mushy. He and I know they are in specs, I bled today and better but still mushy..

Booster seems fine, starts up and falls with my foot on it and whatnot. The fluid is all brand new, at least 5x over by now and its not dirty at all.

I am bleeding it with the truck off totally, should the truck be on acc, running??? Should It be in neutral or something?? Also I am doing the 2 man method, open valve well, pump, pump, pump, hold pedal to floor and close valve.

 

leave the truck turned off, key off.

I use 1/4" clear hose and a clear jar with the end submerged in clean fluid.

Make sure the hose fits tightly on the bleeder fitting.

Have your helper pump the brake pedal a few times and hold it down.

Open the bleeder the pedal will sink, have them continue to hold the pedal while you close the bleeder.

Make sure to keep the fluid resivor topped off.

Here is a link that might help.

Good luck.
Robb

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/mainte...leedingbrakes/

 

It sounds like you're saying that you do multiple pumps of the brake pedal between the time the bleeder is opened and then re-closed. If so, that's not the right way to do it. Once you press the brake pedal down and open the bleeder screw, don't let the pedal come back up until the bleeder screw is closed tight, otherwise, when the pedal comes back up (with the bleeder screw opened) air will enter the system.

 

It was the way I was shown by a friend a few times. IT was open bleeder, pump,pump, pump, hold and close bleeder.

I now know its pump, pump,pump, open, hold and then close.

 

At least you know you have clean fliud in your system now.

 

It's actually neither.
There is no "pump, pump, pump".
Doing that will simply break whatever air bubbles that may be in the system, into to a bunch of smaller bubbles.

Have helper apply slight pressure to brake pedal.
Open bleeder and the pedal with drop to the floor.
Helper holds pedal to the floor.
Close bleeder.
Tell helper to release brake pedal and allow it to come all the way back up.
Have helper apply pressure to the brake pedal.
Open bleeder.
Etc.
Etc.
Etc.

Do not pump, pump, pump the brake pedal.




Fred

 

Now ya tell me Fred..

 

Also, I think the LSPV should be first (or at least before the fronts), not last in the bleed cycle.

You want to go from farthest from the MC to closest

 

Well thus far I think I removed the bubbles. pedal still doesnt feel 100% to me at least. Could be b/c my work van has a very hard pedal and takes barely any effort before it catches.

I did RR, RL, LSPV, FR, FL and I think i got all the bubbles b/c I cant get anymore out.

 

Right out of the FSM

1. Drivers side rear
2. Passenger side rear
3. Passenger side front
4. Drivers side front
5. LSPV (Load sensing proportioning valve)





Fred

 

The idea of the jar of brake fluid is that even if the pedal comes up while the bleeder is open, it only sucks fluid back into the system, not air. You still want to attempt to keep the pedal down, but the jar/hose method allows for some error.