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spongy brake pedal

MyExp

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91 Explorer 4X4
New ART front rotors and pads (installed four days ago)
New front brake hoses (installed today)
Bled system-got all air bubbles out
Master cylinder and calipers are two years old-but had same problem before replacing it
Cannot find any leaks

Question-

Why do I still have a spongy/low brake pedal? I went to test the brakes today and the fronts locked when I stomped on the brake pedal for the first two panic stops. The next stop I slowly applied the pedal about 1/2 down than stomped on it again-no front lock-up and pedal to floor. After that, the right would lock, then the left. On my last try nothing locked up.

The rear ABS seems to be functioning properly. So what should I check for now? Maybe the pads aren't worn in yet but I should not have a low/spongy pedal like that. It should get really hard and stop traveling before it hits the floor right?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

Brian
 



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Its one of two things. Either you have air in the rear brake lines or your ABS valve is not functioning. Spongy pedal is one of the most common symptoms of a failed ABS valve. No matter how hard you try you will never get the rear's to lock if the valve is bad, because it bypasses internally and does not allow the rear wheel cylinders to recive enough (if any) pressure. I would start by trying to rebleed the rear brakes. If this doesn't help (nad the rear wheel cylinders aren't leaking) the fault lies in the ABS valve.
 






rip that out... !!! explorer ( at least 1 gen explorer ) ABS SUCKS!!!! itll stop better without it!!!:D
 






Originally posted by 94EBexplorer
rip that out... !!! explorer ( at least 1 gen explorer ) ABS SUCKS!!!! itll stop better without it!!!:D

Good humor or not, his is not the type of recomendations we need to be giving. Nothing personal to you (94EB), but a recomendation like this could end up getting someone hurt or even killed as a result of improperly modifying something they shouldn't, and we don't need that hanging over the heads of thoes who run this site. You may be correct in saying that the ABS sucks, but it worked good enough to pass the governments saftey regulations, and works 100% better than a improperly modified system. My recomendation: fix the problem don't create more.
 






well i boght the system to bypass mine... it just works 100 times better than with it with the 35" tires.... thats all...
 






How would the rear abs valve affect the front brakes? Aren't they on their own system?

I have bled the entire brake system will the same result.

Any other ideas?

Brian
 






Try checking the rear brake adjusters. I had the same problem and found mine were froze. I took them out oiled and freed them up reinstalled then adjusted. Now no more sponge. good luck
 






Originally posted by MyExp
How would the rear abs valve affect the front brakes? Aren't they on their own system?

Brian

No, there isn't a seperate system for the front and the rear. The front and rear brakes share two major components, the master cylinder and the proportioning (sp?) valve.
 






Let me clarify what I meant by "seperate systems".

The front brakes have their own lines coming out of the master cylinder. The rear brakes have their own line comming from the master cylinder.

Now, the rear ABS valve is located in the rear line correct? So how would/could that affect the front brakes? :confused:


Thanks,

Brian
 






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