1990 Ford Ranger Soft Brake Pedal

1990 FORD RANGER
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CHASMAC
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  • 1 POST
the breaks on this truck became very weak and the petal would have to be pushed almost all the way to the floor. there were no leaks and the shoes and pads are in good shape. i tryed repacing the master cylinder but this didnt help. i have had no break woring lights come on at all. could the ABS system be causing this problem
Jul 28, 2006 at 12:56 AM
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TAURUSWHEEL
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  • 718 POSTS
Could be the power brake booster is leaking vacuum somewhere, I think there are tests that can be done to determine if the booster is holding vacuum... if the pedal is going way down, i'm surprised the abs light is not on, usually if there is excessive brake pedal travel, the abs will set that code and the light will come on
Jul 28, 2006 at 11:06 AM
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SERVICE WRITER
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 9,123 POSTS
Adjust the rear brake shoes until there is a touch of drag. Bleed the system. You'll need to verify the correct bleeding procedure. We have has several similiar pedal problems that came back to bleeding in a particular specific way. Also, sometimes you can have a caliper or wheel cylinder that will not show leakage, but will suck air into the system.
Jul 28, 2006 at 9:55 PM
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Suggested Repair

Adjust the rear brake shoes until there is slight drag, then bleed the system using the correct procedure. Also check the power brake booster for vacuum loss and inspect calipers or wheel cylinders that may pull in air without visible leaks.

Conversation Summary

A 1990 Ford Ranger has a very weak brake pedal that travels nearly to the floor, with no leaks, good shoes and pads, no warning lights, and no improvement after replacing the master cylinder. Experts suggested checking the power brake booster for vacuum leakage, adjusting the rear shoes to slight drag, bleeding the system correctly, and looking for a caliper or wheel cylinder that is drawing in air.

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