@#%#@*^ Brakes!

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Daughters 95 Tortise (Tarus) the rear brakes were redone back in may. Now just a few months later, the drivers side pad worn down to nothing. Rotor beyond turning. So just to make things easy, I bought a new rotor, pads, and caliper. The old stuff came off with ease, and the new stuff went on without a problem.<br /><br />Now here is the problem. I can't get the brakes to bleed. I have taken the hose off the caliper, and had my wife push on the pedal. Nothing, I got in a pushed the friggen pedal hard enough to almost push it through the firewall. Nothing came out of the line. Don't have a manual, never needed one for something I've done many times. <br /><br />DUH DUH DUH, any ideas? Oh, yes, I removed the resevoir cap. Geeesh....could the problem be what caused the pads to wear down so quick? Not letting the pressure off the piston in the caliper? But still why am I not getting any brake fluid with the hose off?

 

[LubeDude]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

I bet they are antilock brakes, the braking partitioning valve is stuck shut for that wheel in the antilock system. Hang on to your hat, they are expensive. Check the wrecking yards. Thats why they reccomend a brake system flush every year in anti lock braking systems.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

DOH! @#$%#@ I was afraid that is was something to do with the anitloc. Well, I'll call my friend. Thanks LubeDude, I thought you would know if anyone....

 

[LubeDude]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

Well, I dont know everything, I was wrong once, but I only thought I was and it turned out I was wrong.

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

I was wrong once, but I only thought I was and it turned out I was wrong.

nice one! Guess 2 wrongs do make a right!!!

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

Just a thought before you go spending more money. Whenever I bleed brakes I like to do a poor mans one person job. Its real simple. Get a 2 foot length or so of NEW vaccum hose and a small jar of NEW fluid. Clean around the bleeder screw real well, maybe wire brush and then use Brake-Kleen on it. Loosen the bleeder screw up about 1 turn, the same amount you would to let fluid out. Attatch the vaccum hose to the screw and then put the other end in the jar of fluid. Sit in the car and start pumping. This will pump air out of the line while sucking fluid back up it. You may have to pump 50 times but its ok, there shouldn't be much pressure on the pedal. After all of this it is nice to have someone check with you to make sure. This has worked many times whenever I couldn't get air or fluid out of a system.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

Kennith Brown:<br /><br />Normally good advice, but it aint gonna work this time.<br /><br />And, there is a good chance the system will have to be bled properly at a dealer or someplace that knows how to bleed Antilock brakes after the repair is completed, yes they are diferent.

 

[Rick Byers]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

There is a very specific set of instruction on bleeding Ford Anti lock brakes. Go talk to your friendly Mechanic also believe there is a special tool needed but I am only guessing.<br />Rick<br />ASE master Technican

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

OK LD, I'll buy that. I have never did this on a car with antilock so I didn't know. Not stealing the thread, but on the same subject I have a question. Whenever I put pads on a car with antilock I do not push the fluid back up the line. I put my clamp on the caliper with just very slight pressure, then crack the bleeder screw. I then push the piston back into the bore. After its seated I'l tighten the bleeder back up and remove the clamp. My reasoning behind this is so fluid that may have rust/other contaminants in it doesn't travel into a sensor back up the line somewhere. Am I being over cautious?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

The problem is the shuttle valve. [The shuttle valve cuts off half the system if there is a brake line fluid loss or failure] Get a ford manual to reset the valve. Anti-lock is an electronic system and is not affected by bleeding. You can dis-connect the anti-lock (pull the fuse) and the brakes work just like any other system. The anti-lock sensors are optical and "watch" the rotors action... just keep them clean.<br /><br />Be sure to be very liberal with the grease on the caliper slides even though they are new to prevent future wear on one brake from hanging up.<br /><br />Bob

 

[jimr]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

ken that is the way you are supposed to do it. at work we have a NGS and sometimes have to do a antilock bleed with it on the police cars . I have never had to do it on a taraus. you may have a collapsed brake hose. try bleeeing the system at the master cylinder and make sure you get flow from both lines and if you have a bleeder screw on the master do it there also then goto the rear.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

Sorry for getting back late. (no computer on the boat....yet)<br /><br />Talked to a friend of mine that was a certified mech. He also mentioned about the immediate fluid loss locks out that wheel. I figure that if the pad broke loose from the backer plate, the piston would take longer to push out to the backer plate. Thus causing a loss of fluid condition.<br /><br />KB, I've used that method many times on bleeding brakes. Works good.<br /><br />Gonna mess with the brakes Sunday to see if we can get the shuttle valve back in position. Was told that bleeding the front brake sometimes gets the shuttle valve to recenter itseld. Going to try that first.<br /><br />Thanks for da input. Think I just might Git-R-Done!

 

[LubeDude]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

Originally posted by Kenneth Brown:<br /> Whenever I put pads on a car with antilock I do not push the fluid back up the line. I put my clamp on the caliper with just very slight pressure, then crack the bleeder screw. I then push the piston back into the bore. After its seated I'l tighten the bleeder back up and remove the clamp. My reasoning behind this is so fluid that may have rust/other contaminants in it doesn't travel into a sensor back up the line somewhere. Am I being over cautious? <br />.

No, Ken, not at all, but a good rule of thumb would be to bleed the entire system as the single most cause of antilock brake failure is old contaminated fluid that causes corosion somewhere

 

[LubeDude]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

Ya, I hope you dont have to spend big bucks, I hope its one of these things.

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

You wouldn't possibly have the wrong side caliper on do you?<br /><br />If the bleeder valve isn't at the top of the caliper you'll never get it bled.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

Skinnywater, the calipers will not fit from one side to the other. Now it is just a matter of not getting any fluid out of the brake line with it off of the caliper. Its gotta be the shuttle/proportioning valve that has that line shut off. Too dang on hot and muggy to check it out today, maybe tonight.... Thanks....

 

[LubeDude]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

SS Mayfloat:<br /><br />You would have to go and mention brakes wouldnt you, Now I have a wheel cylinder leaking on my Ranger. I guess I know what Im going to be doing on Labor day.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

Laboring!

 

[LubeDude]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

Well, my brakes are fixed, only took me about three hours to really do a nice job, I bead blasted all the little peices, painted everything, new brakes, wheel cylinders, drums and bled the whole system. Everything back to normal now. I changed the brake fluid about three years ago, boy it was dirty and dark looking, Im glad I got around to flushing it again.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: @#%#@*^ Brakes!

Lubedude, Glad to hear you got yours going. Bruce was to come over yesterday, but his wife made him install some windows in his house. Which reminds me I have 12 Pella windows waiting for me to get installed.<br /><br />I checked the Ford Enthusists website for info on the car. Found a little bit of info on what I already know.<br /><br />I also heard that Ford is going to either drastically cut production or quit the Ranger line. Have you heard anything on this?