Abrubt Brakes at low speeds

[Sail_USA_K-1]

My Sport Trac seems to have some extreme brake issues, especially at low speeds. I know this sounds ass backwards but heres the deal, When at low speeds i gradually apply brake until it gets to a certain point and then BAM!! the braking force triples giving you and your passengers a quick whiplash. After the first couple of times of being stared down by like I was the worst driver ever, I have to give whomever rides with me a safety briefing about stops in my car. i could have dealt with it except today in my driveway, (slightly sloped) the front tires locked up when i was barely rolling. So anybody with any ideas?

I think it may have to do with the fact that the front brakes are disc and the rear are drum. but still, maybe they are out of sync or something. because its definitely a point of braking that it just seems like i slammed on the brakes when that is not the case.

 

[bdmaash]

there shouldn't be an issue with the front being disc, and rears being drums since there are millions of vehicles like that.
Syncing issue??? the front does 60% of work at least, so they're not synced.

try pulling your ABS fuse and testing in a parking lot, maybe it's ABS related.

could be warped brake rotors in the front.

 

[Sail_USA_K-1]

Yea i was just guessing. trying to throw out some ideas ill try the ABS fuse

 

[John_Rock]

the front tires locked up

Is your ABS light on? Locked up for a tiny second? Or really locked up? Because your ABS should be keeping that from happening. Unless it was just a micro second, then pulsing begins.

 

[John_Rock]

BTW, mine have a history of being more powerful/sensitive on early moist(humid) mornings.

 

[Jeffksf]

Yeah does this happen after you drive it in the rain? The Ford rear shoes are notorious for expanding after they get moist. If it is not much you can do about it, it usually goes away after 3-4 stops.

 

[Joey P]

Old thread I know, but maybe I can get an answer for my vehicle which is doing the same sort of thing....Maybe. I have no ABS light on. And it doesn't matter if their wet or not. It feels like when I come to a stop there is someone else giving one more brake attempt at the stop. brakes do not lock up and it's not pulsing like ABS. Well, maybe feels like one pulse but that is all. Usa K1 did you ever figure yours out? I have the same year sport trac.

 

[Sail_USA_K-1]

No permanent solution but a remedy

Thus far i have found no permanent solution and still have the same issue... But but i do know what is going on and so i can make it go away for a while.... It has to do with the rotors... for some reason at least on my car, if the car sits for a day or 2 with no use, it gets like a film kinda like rustish looking but not.... anyway.... next time look at your front brake rotors and youll see what i mean.... but any way.... what i do to fix this is: when it happens I simply ride the brakes and the gas at the same time.... effectively polishing the rotors and getting a nice new surface for the brake pads to make contact with...

Hope this helps

 

[Joey P]

Thanks, although now I think that mine is transmission related and not brake related.