393Clevor

Ok I got a 1995 F250 Power Stroke that came in for brake problems. The truck hauls a lot of weight plus it pulls our concrete trailer pump. It’s had a spongy brake pedal for a few years now but we have been living with it. But now the brakes are just too bad to drive the truck.

Symptoms…..

Cold truck, first thing in the morning, first time you touch the brake pedal you literally got thought the windshield, extremely touchy, goes away after you use them a few times.

My thoughts: hard, glazed pads and shoes……

At a red light brake pedal goes almost to the floor hangs 1 ½ to 1 from the rug.

Master Cylinder………

When he is loaded and he has to stop quickly he gets good braking at first but looses braking power with in seconds.

Hard, glazed pads and shoes, improperly adjusted e-brake……..



What I have done.

I replaced the rear brake shoes, drums, rear anti-lock brake valve and the ABS sensor in the rear end, a suggestion from the parts department at ford and from a previous experience of poor braking power.

Still the same thing, no power and pedal to the floor.

Replaced the master cylinder with a factory one

SAME THING……

Got another Master on the way but had an hour to kill so I honed the old one and tried it.

SAME THING

Got the second new one and guess what

SAME THING…

You can bump them up rock hard and it will hold it for 3 seconds and then 5 seconds later it’s and inch from the floor when standing on them.

Tomorrow I’m going to check the e-brake adjustment, pull the fronts apart (new last year from Auto Zone) to check the calipers and replace the rotor and pads with factory parts from Ford.

But that pedal feels like a bad Master it’s got me nuts……….

Any Ideas,

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393Clevor

Well I pulled the fronts apart and the calipers, pads and rotors were junk, never seen pads look like these, they were kind a flaky you could pick chunks out of them with your fingernail. The rotors were extremely heat cracked and the rubber seals on the caliper piston were like melted (weird) so I replaced it all with factory ford parts.

I checked the e-brake and the rear brake adjustment and all was good. Re-bled the entire system and still the same pedal but it stops much better.

He has to use the truck tomorrow so next week I’m going to install the adjustable proportioning valve so I can get more pressure to the rears. All that is left to change is the booster, maybe I’ll pick one up, just waiting on ford to get back to me about the TSB. I just can’t see how the booster could cause the pedal to act like a bad Master cylinder.

Thanks Steve

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roebling

So, did that fix it?
My '86 F250 just started the "pedal's fine--Whoa! It just went to the floor-" stuff a couple of days ago and I'm hoping to skip replacing the stuff that doesn't need replacing.
Karl

393Clevor

the only thing that I didn't replace was the booster, still same pedal. I by-passed the RABS valve on the frame and removed the proportioning valve from the master and the pedal is a lot better and the rears are now working a lot more.

I would plug the rear line at the master and see or by-pass the RABS valve.

TheDieselStop.Com Forums: 1995 F250 Brakes.....

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blackF250

Hi clevor!

Hope you solved your brake problems.
You seem to have quite an experience with rear brake shoes!

Tell me, I have the same 95 F250 4x4 , how can I find out what size my brake shoes are. The catalog says there are 2 sizes: 2 1/2 and 3. How can I find out without dismantling the whole axle?:help