What can be done to improve my brakes?

[imq707s]

I've got a 97' AWD Mountaineer (just like an X) w/ 137,000 miles on it. The brakes have never been all that great on it......I really notice it when I'm pulling my boat.

A few weeks ago I put 4 new rotors on it and also 4 sets of EBC 6000 series SUV & 4x4 pads.

Even after new pads and rotors, the brakes just don't seem to have much stopping power. I was driving on a wet road last night around 50mph....I hit the brakes as hard as I could and it didn't even lock up the tires or activate the ABS system. It took a very long time to stop...and the pedal was bottomed out.

I've bled the brake system...and that didn't improve anything.


Could I have a bad master cylinder? What else can be done to improve the brakes on my truck?

Thanks

 

[HardTech]

ford is known for producing bad master cylinder's. Heck our 1996 thunderbird when through 3 of them. The F-150 is not on its second and we think that one is starting to fail.

We where in the same boat as you, the T-Bird had bad brake from the get go. Took it into Ford constantly and there was no problems. One day when traffic stoped suddenly and we when about 40 feety more than we should have, we knew something was wrong. Come to find out the master cylinder went bad near day 1.

Its something to have checked, because i dont know why but for has always had a brake problems and refuse to learn anything from it. Also the other problem being the fact these are shotty parts, most master cylinder's you find are rebuilds.

Oh for fun, take a new explorer out for a test drive... now those things are scary. Funny my 95 has better stoping power than a car 10 years newer

 

[410Fortune]

You could have a bad master cyl, yes.

Check for vaccum leaks or check your brake booster to ensure it is holding vacuum.

Carbon Metallic pads can really help.

If the pedal is soft you may need to bleed more/better.

 

[aldive]

Have you flushed and replaced the brake fluid?

 

[CDW6212R]

Interesting. I have 44,000+ miles on my full set of EBC rotors and pads, they are very good. Your problem is not the pads or rotors.

Be sure to flush all of the brake fluid out. If you have, then I'd bet the problem is either air in the ABS pump, or the master cylinder.

That you know of, could any air have gotten in the upper half of the system lines, from the master cylinder to the ABS pump? The ABS pump cannot be bled without a very special tool. A special tool is required to manually force the ABS pump to cycle, as the brakes are bled. Without the tool, all fluid and air bypasses the ABS pump while bleeding the brakes.

If you are not sure, I suggest that you have the ABS pump bled. The dealer is usually the only place that will have the right tool. Good luck,