Interesting update. While poking around under the truck I noticed that the passenger side ebrake cable was considerably looser than the driver's side. I didn't see any way to directly adjust that cable, easily. I really need a FSM, because all those parts make me nervous. I assume that the tighter those cables are, the closer the shoes are to the drums (without dragging), and the less distance the "pedal" has to push those shoes out to make the crap stop..Right?

 

since partially pulling the E-brake cable gives you a nice firm pedal, is there a chance that maybe the wheel cylinder is on backwards or maybe the wrong one?, so every time you are pulling the E-brake it is actually loosening the adjuster?

Steve

 

It seems to me that if you're rear brakes are out of adjustmend that your front breaks do all the breaking. That usually shows up with heavy nose diving, and the front locking up way faster then the rear. If you can't lock up the front, I would be more suspicious of the breakbooster or the brake cylinder.
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

Arjan

 

Yes, both e-brake pivots should be free to move and should have about the same amount of travel when you pull on the brake cable from underneath.

 

Got me.

Awesome, all I have to do is figure that out.

...With 675lb SAW's It's almost IMPOSSIBLE to nose dive! I can't get the front brakes to lock up because the pedal pressure isn't there.

 

Don't forget that you probably have ABS, and that might stop you from locking up the front brakes...

 

Good point, but you would still hear it. On my '97 the abs rattles quite a bit, and you feel it in the pedal.

 

Indeed it does.

 

Update....Last night my rear brakes started SMOKING while I was cruising about 80 on the highway, and I got a terrible squeal. I didn't smell burning brakes, but I smelled burning OIL.. Hmm..didn't I pay to have those axle seals replaced? Yeup, sure did! Nope, they didn't do it!! I bring the truck into Big-O today to have them take a look. My axle seals were toast, a good amount of gear lube came out with the drum. The shoes were SATURATED with my precious Amsoil. Sooo, I had the rear shoes and both seals replaced- $150 later my brakes are FANTASTIC!!! I'm willing to bet that I never needed the wheel cylinders, and they kept seeing gear lube and thought it was DOT4.



Moral of the story: Be CERTAIN your axle seals are good, and don't get screwed by chitty mechanics!

I still don't know why my pedal was soft tho...
:pat:

 

gapguy, I'm glad you finally have "FANTASTIC" brakes. I just read your entire thread and found it interesting to say the least. I'm a brake mechanic at a local tire shop so I enjoyed reading your perplexing brake pedal issues.

Here's my guess: Soft pedal was due to air in the brake system which finally got resolved with the recent rear brake job which included a brake system bleed. I'm not sure about your runner, but on certain cars there is a specific bleeding sequence that must be followed to achieve a good pedal.

Also some cars need to also have the ABS valve bled in addition to each wheel. Also, it is possible that when the new master cylinder was installed it was not primed (aka, bench bled) prior to installation. And after installation the master cylinder should be bled where the brake lines exit the master cylinder. At any rate, I'm glad you finally got it fixed!

 

I've been getting screwed since the first "repair".... :pat:

 

Glad to hear that it sounds like it is resolved. Yours is a prime example of why one needs to do more things on the rig for one's self instead of trusting incompetent mechanics (not all are) or finding one mechanic that you trust (hard to do these days).

Good luck!

 

Tools and a FSM are at the top of my Christmas list!