Pleeease help... Brake problems...

[jlsparky7]

2001 Ford ranger 2wd 3.0 4 wheel ABS. I replaced the brake pads and rotors as well as the bearings a couple weeks ago (someone said something about damaging the ABS by not bleeding the caliper when its compressed but I didnt hear that until after I did the brake job, so i compressed the pistons without opening the bleed valve).

So after i replaced the brakes they were squeaking (just cheap pads). When i went in reverse any faster than a crawl sometimes the ABS would kick on for a second. Well I didnt think anything of it at first. Then my brake pedal slowly kept losing pressure (not to the floor just wouldnt brake as well). Well today my brakes pretty much completely failed, I was barely able to stop... So I read up and figured it was the master cylinder. Replace that and PROPERLY BENCH BLED the MC AND properly bled all of the brake lines. Still no change. So somehow im thinking I damaged the ABS by not cracking open the bleeder when i compressed the cylinder when I did the brake job. Please give me some advice here.

Do you think the ABS module is the prob? (No dash lights are on at all and never were)

 

[jlsparky7]

No ideas fellas?

 

[jlsparky7]

Any chance the remanufactured MC i bought is bad?

 

[jlsparky7]

Still looking for ideas :-/

 

[jlsparky7]

Ended up taking the rear brakes apart and everything literally fell apart when i took the drum off. Turns out the rears were TOAST. So glad I found the problem. How to vid should be up tomorrow.

 

[det107]

Glad you came across it while working on the brakes-
Really would hate to think otherwise !

 

[gmanpaint]

If that doesn't fix it, the ABS system might need bled with the computer program at the brake shop or dealer.

 

[rickybobby]

compressing the calipers without opening the bleeders shouldnt hurt anything, if you have to open them to get the caliper to compress that is a sign of a problem.

 

[jlsparky7]

Glad you came across it while working on the brakes-
Really would hate to think otherwise !

Me too

If that doesn't fix it, the ABS system might need bled with the computer program at the brake shop or dealer.

Itll probably fix the prob but if not ill definitely look into this...

compressing the calipers without opening the bleeders shouldnt hurt anything, if you have to open them to get the caliper to compress that is a sign of a problem.

Thats what i thought but someone on here said otherwise so it raised a flag for me. Thanks!

 

[ranger7ltr]

I wouldn't think damage was done...

2001 Ford ranger 2wd 3.0 4 wheel ABS. I replaced the brake pads and rotors as well as the bearings a couple weeks ago (someone said something about damaging the ABS by not bleeding the caliper when its compressed but I didnt hear that until after I did the brake job, so i compressed the pistons without opening the bleed valve).

So after i replaced the brakes they were squeaking (just cheap pads). When i went in reverse any faster than a crawl sometimes the ABS would kick on for a second. Well I didnt think anything of it at first. Then my brake pedal slowly kept losing pressure (not to the floor just wouldnt brake as well). Well today my brakes pretty much completely failed, I was barely able to stop... So I read up and figured it was the master cylinder. Replace that and PROPERLY BENCH BLED the MC AND properly bled all of the brake lines. Still no change. So somehow im thinking I damaged the ABS by not cracking open the bleeder when i compressed the cylinder when I did the brake job. Please give me some advice here.

Do you think the ABS module is the prob? (No dash lights are on at all and never were)

I have serviced brakes on over a dozen of my own vehicles with ABS and never bled the brakes to compress the calipers...In fact most of the vehicles with ABS warn about the higher pressures in the braking system and that servicing the ABS is not needed unless there is a warning light or some ABS related issue...

Too bad about the rear brakes coming apart; I learned to do brakes on vehicles with 4 wheel drum brakes and I cringe every time I see a drum brake I need to work on... I much prefer disc brakes to have to service...

 

[jlsparky7]

I have serviced brakes on over a dozen of my own vehicles with ABS and never bled the brakes to compress the calipers...In fact most of the vehicles with ABS warn about the higher pressures in the braking system and that servicing the ABS is not needed unless there is a warning light or some ABS related issue...

Too bad about the rear brakes coming apart; I learned to do brakes on vehicles with 4 wheel drum brakes and I cringe every time I see a drum brake I need to work on... I much prefer disc brakes to have to service...

At least I can get it done and over with and not worry about it for another 100,000 miles.

I MUCH prefer disc brakes as well. So much easier to work on, last so much longer, cost so much less, and WORK so much better!

I like your "when in doubt, use a big hammer quote" Thats exactly what i did to get the drum off....