Bleeding the Brakes!

[hippyheart]

Hey all! Well, I have bled my brake lines several times now and I do have clear brake fluid running out of all but, I still hardly have any brakes except when I press the brake pedal all the way to the floor. Still very spongy. What am I doing wrong? I don't see any air bubbles coming out from the fluid. I have an ABS system. Could the air be trapped in that? I have tried many ways of fixing this problem from different websites to no avail. Please give me your thoughts on this! Thanks! Mike

 

[winsorcoke]

what's the procedure your using to bleed them?

 

[hippyheart]

With the explorer in on position, I pump the brakes 3 or 4 times and hold the brake down, crack open the nipple and let the fluid drain down the tube into a can where the tube is submerged into clean brake fluid. When the dripping ceases, I tighten the nipple and repeat the steps about 4 times starting with my passenger rear to the driver rear then to my passenger front and then the driver front. Clean fluid out of all of them! Still a spongy brake pedal. I'm scratching my head!

 

[BIGHVM]

There is an equalizer valve someplace in the system, you need a tool to do that job- according to Haynes manual!
I dont know what it looks like, maybe have a search here for the answer, or here,
http://passionford.com/
or here:
http://fordforum.com/

Good luck and let us know what you do!

 

[gijoecam]

There is no equalizer valve in the system (called a proportioning valve here in the states). THe proportioning is determined by the master cylinder piston bore size and the caliper piston sizes. There is a pressure limiting valve on Some Ford vehicles, but that's completely different than a proportioning valve (and I'm not sure offhand if our Explorers have one of those... can't remember offhand)

The ABS system may have an air bubble in it, or there may be an issue with part of that system failing. Odds are, however, it's simply air trapped in the system somewhere. A pressure bleed is the easiest way to force the air bubble out, but it's not an easy thing to do yourself. Any decent brake shop should be able to do it. If flows a lot more fluid through the system than pumping them can, and helps move the air out of the system.

We also have to ask a dumb question: Are the bleeders on your calipers on the TOP of the caliper? If they're on the bottom, they're installed on the wrong side of the vehicle. (Happens more often than you would think).

-Joe

 

[RangerX]

You might have to bleed the RABS module. It's inside of the framerail, below the driver's feet.

 

[CDW6212R]

How did air get into the system? Was the master cylinder replaced, what exact lines were off? The Ford ABS systems beginning around the early 90's will trap air inside the ABS accumulator, normal bleeding bypasses that and won't remove air from it. Only a special diagnostic tool can force the ABS to manually cycle, to allow air to be bled from it.

Are you using two people to bleed the brakes? Have one on the pedal, announce when the pedal reaches the floor. That's when you shut the bleed screw, and tell the other person to pump it up again. Good luck,

 

[hippyheart]

Thank you all for all the replys! I just had to keep bleeding them and bleeding them and now they are pretty good. I was wondering though, when I am driving fast down the road and I apply the brakes, my Explorer pulls to the right where I installed my new brake system. I put my left brakes on last July. Should they both be equeal in pressure or is it because the right is new and has less wear that it is causing it to pull that way? Thanks! Mike

 

[CDW6212R]

That is why it is very important do change both sides at the same time. No matter what part you need to replace, do them in pairs.

 

[djsk8r33]

why would you EVER change one sides brakes.. and not the other.

its almost MANDATORY to do the brakes in pairs

 

[Mic_]

brakes in PAIRS front/rear

else diff. thickness has diff. pressure and will cause the pull