I have a 1978 ford f150 that has sat for two years and now the brakes are horrible. I have just replaced the rotors, pads, master cylinder, most of the lines, and booster. The brakes are a little better but the just dont work very good. There is a good pedal but when you press it the pads just dont seem to catch the rotors unless you stand on the pedal. All i have left is the calipers and proportioning valve. Also someone told me that I need pads since I didnt clean the rotors before I installed them. But have never done so in the past and have worked great. Any ideas?

 

have you looked at the rear brakes , are they adjusted up tight ?,,, also any chance someone may have put the rear shoes on backwards ?, short shoe to the front , long shoe to the rear ,,, you would be surprized how many I have found that were put on improper...

 

Maybe brake booster isn't helping, check for vac at the hose and check the oneway valve, maybe backwards?

 

Went out today and checked the adjustment of the rears, it was a mile off. Brought the pads out to the drums and now the brakes work great!! It does have self adjusters dosent it? I had the drums off a couple of weeks ago to check the shoes and wheel cylinders but did not look. Cant see much through the adjustment slot. Maybe the adjusters need lubricated on the old girl.

Thanks,
Chris

 

Yea . thats very common for the rears to be outta adj. bet you were surpized how much better the brakes worked. Yes they should be self adj , No telling how long ago the last time the rears were done , thats one reason its suggested to replace all the brake hardware an not just the shoes,the lil cables on the adj. get streched. An the adj. arms sometime get bent , when some one is doing a manuel adjustment. To get the self adj. working you gotta back the truck up an apply the brakes till the truck completly stops. you need to do this several times . I have found empty parking lots the best place to do this , As most folks only back up a small way , ie drive way, parking lots , . Thats not enough to get the adj. to do its job . An then throw some dirt an water an brake dust in there an they quit all together . Normally I'll manuel adj my 2 times a year , or like if Iam going on a trip I'll tighten them up