2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission replaced brakes and no stop.

[Ahopper]

so yesterday i decided that the master cyilinder needed to be replaced bc i thought it was leaking internally. i have replaced everything just about on the brakes this year and nothing seemes to make it any better. i have replace all rear springs ,shoes, and put in chevy wheel cylinders in the rear.



after i put in the master cylinder i went to bleed the front brakes and both the new( 4months old) caliper bleed scews sheered off when i went to open them. so i got new calipers under warrenty at auto zone. replaced pads on front and put new rubber brake lines on the front. i used valvline synthetic brake fluid. i made sure i flushed the brakes very well. i bench bleeded the master cylinder first also.



now here is the broblem. i dont have a hard peddle for about half of the peddle. its almost exactly the same with the original master cylinder. my braked will lock but i want a hard peddle. i feel like if i have to stop quick i wont. i have no idea were to start now.

sorry for such the long post

 

[DCreed]

be sure the rears are adjusted properly. any extra travel in the shoes will cause the pedal to drop.

 

[JFaughn]

Get some brass plugs & caps , start at master , plug off try peddle , add one line at a time till you get the soft peddle .
I would think that it would most likely just need more bleeding .

 

[ekroman]

I just did my master and two front calipers.



I hate second generation brakes. They feel rotten, but they still stop the truck. The feeling in the pedal inspires no confidence at all.



I've gotten some of it back by adjusting the rears, but they're nothing like my 1990. First generation brakes feel much better.



Eddie

 

[Flinty]

Make sure your brake lines are in good shape.

 

[DCreed]

Make sure your brake lines are in good shape.

yeah, like where they go from hard to flex line above the rear axle behind the tank!

 

[jtwcummins]

I had problems with the brake pedal feel until I flushed the power steering and put in Synthetic fluid w/ a bottle of lube guard power steering additive. Gave me good pedal and it felt the same every time.

 

[hsmith]

On RWAL systems, don't forget about the ABS dump valve below the mcyl. Gives the same symptoms as mcyl bypassing.

 

[Ahopper]

i never thought of the abs dump valve. does anyone knoew how reliable it is? should i replace it?

 

[Joe Mc]

I replaced mine made no difference - ended up being a pin hole in the line from front to the back, didn't leak fluid but sucked air PIA to figure out - yep the one that runs between the tank and frame - best removed by sliding it towards the front after all disconnected, I took my tank out but have heard others that didn't have to. . . Joy . . . I made my own line up NAPA for line & fittings, tubing bender, removed (in one piece) the old line and started bending up the new one going next to the old and wire tieing the two line together as I made the new one. Worked for me . . .