Brake Problems

[TonyNTip]

My 91 XLT Explorer's brakes are soft and both the antilock and regular brake lights come on after pressing them.

I have replaced the rear brakes and flushed the brake system. I also took it to AAA and they did a flush as well but did not know why they are still soft.

The thing that has me confussed is that ocassionaly they do work fine and brake normally and the lights do not come on and then while driving they will get worse. Sometimes they are just soft from the get go.

 

[ricco750]

If the master cylinder is original, you probably need a new one. Also, if air got into the ABS module, you have to have the Ford tool to bleed it correctly. It's an expensive tool...I had to take mine to Ford last year when I changed the MC and booster. But now I have great brakes!

 

[TonyNTip]

Ok, thanks. I will replace it tomorrow. The ABS Module could have gotten air in it because I had a back brake line that was leaking and the resevoir did get low at one point.

 

[TonyNTip]

I changed the master cylinder this morning and they are still just a mushy as before.

I did not change the booster because from everything that I read before, I the power booster went bad then the barkes would be hard to press and not mushy. But, I guess that I am running out of options and may have to replace the booster.

Thanks,
Tony

 

[ricco750]

Did you do a thorough bench bleed on the MC before you put it on? Was it a new or reman unit? Did you do another system bleed after the new MC was installed? What kind of bleeding procedure are you using?

 

[TonyNTip]

I did a bench bleeding before installation and then bleed the whole system twice starting from the farthest brake and working to the closest.