Soft brake pedal, haven't bleed the lines

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
  #1  
Old 02-23-2016, 04:12 PM
DumpsterJedi's Avatar
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 59
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Soft brake pedal, haven't bleed the lines

Tell me what you make of this. Maybe like a month ago it started happening, it seems like my brake pedal is getting softer, or spongier? Over time it's taking more pressure on the pedal to get a normal amount of braking. I'm pretty sure it's not the booster. The pedal gets rock hard when the car is not on, and acts normally as it should. I've done the test for the master cylinder, with the car on, If I use a moderate amount of pressure the pedal will go about half way to the floor and then get really hard and I can't press any further. Plus when I get out of the car after a long drive, none of the rotors will be hot like they used to. They're warm but I can keep a finger on them for a few seconds. I haven't touched the brake system in months and never bleed it myself, and the reservoir is full, so I doubt there's air in the lines. Unless something goofy is happening to my MC, I'm guessing it's got something to do with the calipers themselves? But would all 4 calipers start seizing at the same time? Any thoughts? What is happening to my poor car?
 
  #2  
Old 02-23-2016, 08:49 PM
coffeysm's Avatar
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: West Chester, PA
Posts: 1,382
Received 167 Likes on 147 Posts
Originally Posted by DumpsterJedi
Tell me what you make of this. Maybe like a month ago it started happening, it seems like my brake pedal is getting softer, or spongier? Over time it's taking more pressure on the pedal to get a normal amount of braking. I'm pretty sure it's not the booster. The pedal gets rock hard when the car is not on, and acts normally as it should. I've done the test for the master cylinder, with the car on, If I use a moderate amount of pressure the pedal will go about half way to the floor and then get really hard and I can't press any further. Plus when I get out of the car after a long drive, none of the rotors will be hot like they used to. They're warm but I can keep a finger on them for a few seconds. I haven't touched the brake system in months and never bleed it myself, and the reservoir is full, so I doubt there's air in the lines. Unless something goofy is happening to my MC, I'm guessing it's got something to do with the calipers themselves? But would all 4 calipers start seizing at the same time? Any thoughts? What is happening to my poor car?
Maybe you have a bad hose?
 
  #3  
Old 02-29-2016, 08:42 AM
Mustang5L5's Avatar
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Taxachusetts
Posts: 8,818
Received 468 Likes on 391 Posts
check your rear calipers.


I've had my brake pedal get soft a couple times. Both times ended up being an issue with the slide pins on my rear calipers seizing in the bore. The caliper would no longer float so as the pad wore away from hitting the pedal, there would be a gap it needed to fill...hence the inscreasing softer pedal over time.

I replaced the caliper $35-40 or so, and problem went away. Happened to me twice actually.
 
  #4  
Old 08-08-2016, 05:20 PM
dookie's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 153
Received 4 Likes on 3 Posts
Originally Posted by Mustang5L5
check your rear calipers.


I've had my brake pedal get soft a couple times. Both times ended up being an issue with the slide pins on my rear calipers seizing in the bore. The caliper would no longer float so as the pad wore away from hitting the pedal, there would be a gap it needed to fill...hence the inscreasing softer pedal over time.

I replaced the caliper $35-40 or so, and problem went away. Happened to me twice actually.
how did you validate this? manually try to slide the caliper after compressing the piston?
 
  #5  
Old 08-09-2016, 03:08 PM
Mustang5L5's Avatar
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Taxachusetts
Posts: 8,818
Received 468 Likes on 391 Posts
If you diassemble the caliper, you can push/pull the slide pins in by hand. They should move easily.

When one is rusted in place, you will know it
 
  #6  
Old 08-09-2016, 05:30 PM
vashawn's Avatar
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: QUEENS, NY
Posts: 355
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Can you spray it with wd40
 
  #7  
Old 08-10-2016, 12:11 AM
coffeysm's Avatar
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: West Chester, PA
Posts: 1,382
Received 167 Likes on 147 Posts
No, you need to take them out and lube them up with a silicon paste or something designed for brake hardware.
 
  #8  
Old 08-15-2016, 09:54 AM
Mustang5L5's Avatar
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Taxachusetts
Posts: 8,818
Received 468 Likes on 391 Posts
Originally Posted by vashawn
Can you spray it with wd40

Nope. You're gonna have to disassemble completely and use silicone-based brake caliper grease to do this job correctly.


That's also assuming they haven't seized complete into the bore of the caliper bracket that you need to replace the bracket.
 
  #9  
Old 08-16-2016, 02:01 AM
Bromie's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by DumpsterJedi
Tell me what you make of this. Maybe like a month ago it started happening, it seems like my brake pedal is getting softer, or spongier? Over time it's taking more pressure on the pedal to get a normal amount of braking. I'm pretty sure it's not the booster. The pedal gets rock hard when the car is not on, and acts normally as it should. I've done the test for the master cylinder, with the car on, If I use a moderate amount of pressure the pedal will go about half way to the floor and then get really hard and I can't press any further. Plus when I get out of the car after a long drive, none of the rotors will be hot like they used to. They're warm but I can keep a finger on them for a few seconds. I haven't touched the brake system in months and never bleed it myself, and the reservoir is full, so I doubt there's air in the lines. Unless something goofy is happening to my MC, I'm guessing it's got something to do with the calipers themselves? But would all 4 calipers start seizing at the same time? Any thoughts? What is happening to my poor car?
I would bleed all corners first. Then if the problem still exists, I would check the calipers. Seals and all.
 
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
fousejoshua
V36 Brakes, Suspension, Wheels & Tires
25
06-04-2021 10:01 AM
Moskvitch
G35 Coupe V35 2003 - 07
9
02-26-2016 01:58 PM
edwinisdumb15
SOCAL Meetings & Events
2
02-07-2016 09:57 AM
lrivera915
Brakes & Suspension
2
02-03-2016 03:48 PM
mpv06c
Interior & Exterior
4
01-27-2016 07:25 AM



You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.

Quick Reply: Soft brake pedal, haven't bleed the lines



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:09 AM.