Read all 23 pages last night, tried it today. Definitely helped my peddle. I did just a 1/4 turn. I loved it. However, my concern is I don't know when my brakes are dragging, I tried the rolling test, seemed to be no added resistance, however when I jacked my truck up to try and free spin my tire in neutral, there was resistance. Hell, there was resistance when I had the MC taken off of the Power booster. Also the front wheels felt pretty warm, I could keep my hand on it, but it felt warm.

So, my question: How do you know when you've turned it too much? Will I be able able to spin my tire if the brakes are dragging? I wasn't really able to move my rear tires (assuming due to the drive shaft and I would have to compress the pistons or something) It seems to me that once I take the MC off the booster, there should be 0 brake drag, but it still seems like there is.

As I haven't really payed attention to stuff like this before, I really don't have a way to have a frame of reference as to what is normal temp wise and resistance wise. Thanks in advanced for any help. I really hope I can keep it at 1/4 turn or so.

 

Haha .... forgot all about this post July 2010. Just found it while reviewing .....

Well .... today I checked over the '01 Mercury in preperation for a trip after Christmas, she only has 72K on her clock. Still on original brakes, they still have at least half pad or more left. The car is used for mostly highway driving, road trips. I took it for a short drive and then my habits for that car came back, and I was doing the very quick slight double pump and then I recalled this thread.

I got out a 7 mm wrench and pliars and a 13mm flex head gear wrench, it didn't fit. The '01 Merc uses a 14mm wrench. I performed the steps, pumping the brake before doing anything to bleed all vacume.

Took less than 15 minutes, marked tip and splines, backed it out 4 flats worth (2/3 turn) and buttoned it up and took a drive, worked like a champ. Where the double pump helped before, now it was good with or without the double pump. Brakes didn't seem to drag, no excess heat .... so I went back and pulled it and turned it back the other way 1 flat (means I have it 1/2 turn out now), took it for another drive, double pump does not help it at all now, pedal is as good as it gets, but I know I'm not on the "very edge".

Great returns for minimal time spent.

It would be very easy to go too far, I didn't want that. My '07 FX4 has the exact same travel with or without the double pump tap so I did not mess with it's adjustment. Brakes are great and .... at over 37K miles on .... are still original and have lots of pad left. I see it does use a 13mm wrech though.

This appearantly is not needed on all Fords, but seems some are adjusted more conservatively" than others ?

Merry Christmas!

 

Nice post, Ill keep an eye out for this issue while shopping for my truck.

 

I did the rod adjustment, it helped. I back bled the front calipers when I replaced the front pads, that helped.

And... I've notice whenever I use my parking brake, I usually set it hard when I do use, I have REALLY good brakes for awhile. Then it goes back to it normal, until I use the parking brake again. I noticed this for the third time this past weekend. The first two times I thought it was just a coincidence.... but three?

I'm going to set my parking brake each time I want to set the brakes up!

 

FYI - The parking brake has no relation to the actual brakes on these trucks. The parking brakes are a set of mechanically-actuated shoes inside the hat of the rear rotors.

There is no relation between the two.

However, you should use the parking brake every time you park. It takes the stress off the motor and transmission mounts, and prevents the parking brake cables from seizing.

 

I'll have to talk to my brakes... or maybe it was the steep hill

 

I'll have to talk to my brakes and tell them they can't do that anymore.
But I know when I got to the end of the drive way and stepped on the brakes I almost did a stoppy and my wife said "what are you doing!"
"A brake test I guess.?"

Well look at that... a double post.... that shouldn't happen either!

 

 

Well I did a lot of reading and have a pretty good handle on this procedure. I went out this morning and was successful to a point. While placing and holding the pliers behind the spline I tried to turn the rod with the 7mm socket. Every time I tried to turn the rod the spline would also turn. I was applying a decent amount of pressure to the pliers.

My question... what it the spline for? Does it link with something in the MC? Can I use the pliers on the spline instead of the smooth "rod" behind the spline, knowing I will probably chew up the spline a bit with the teeth of the pliers? Am I the only one who is having issues with everything turning?


EDIT: I have it figured out. Had my son step on the brake pedal instead of using a stick to push the rod out. It allowed for further rod travel, allowing me to bet a better hold of the rod. Works great! Now I just need to find out if the pads are touching. My garage is ever so slightly declined and I have been using this as a test while the truck is in neutral. The truck will roll, telling me the pads are not binding on the rotors. However, after a short drive using little brakes, I find that the rotors are hot, but the rims are not. Is this ok? I turned the rod >1/4 but < 1/2 turns.

 

Whew! I have read all the posts on this topic! I have an 03' F150 CrewCab 4x4. I put 20's on it in '06. pedal was a bit mushy but I figured it was just the big tires. Anyway, the truck has 68k on it and I thought it was about time to bleed the brakes. I was sure it would firm up then.....Wrong! Just as poopy as ever. I did a web search and got to this thread. I did the adjustment a little over an hour ago. WOW. Never before had I done so little and got such a HUGE reward! I only wish all motor vehicle repairs were this easy.
Thank you.

 

Drive your truck around some on a large empty parking lot using the brakes many times. Does it still roll free. If it doesn't still roll free then you have residual psi in the brake system because the rod hasn't enough free play.

 

I've had squishy brakes in my truck for 10 years probably. Seemed like ever since the first brake job my brakes have been junk. I've recently started towing 16' trailer and my front brakes will smell hot after I've been driving in town. The trailer has been unloaded so far so I'm only towing 1600lbs roughly. The front pads and rotors are new, the rear shoes are new. The fluid is all fresh and MC is new. Would squishy brakes be a potential cause for this problem? I'm going adjust the rod regardless but I want to also fix whatever is causing my brakes to heat up.

 

If your brakes are heating up, it means they are already staying engaged too much. I would not do the rod adjustment just yet. If they are mushy feeling when you mash on the pedal, I would bleed them. Sounds like air in the system.

 

They've been bled 7 ways to Sunday. I've had two different shops bleed them in the past 6 months for different reasons.

My theory on it was that not having enough pressure was causing them to drag for a longer period of time which is heating them up.

 

Front rotors naturally run hot, (you can't touch them with bare finger hot). If they glow in the dark, that's a different story. Having the right clearence with the pads and the rotor are necessary. New they come with shims between the caliper and the pad. It is used for clearence adjustment and heat disapation of the pad. Notice they are stainless for anti corrosion needs. Using light amounts of High temp brake grease/butter is useful. Brake line PSI should drop to a couple of PSI with your foot disengauged. Look to proper free play and Master cylinder or rod adjustment for the problem of squishy brakes after bleeding. There is a valve there to control brake line psi. A faulty valve leaves you feeling like you need to pump the pedal all the time to get stopped. Not so good.