My brakes never hold whenever I park on a hill. (Or some type of slant) I get no response from the brakes and there's no play from the pedal anyway.

This always happens in cold weather and after I've left the truck parked overnight. After depressing the clutch I have to crank the engine immediately otherwise the brake system does not come on in time and I end up in someone's backyard. Most of the time I'm in the middle of our neighborhood street by the time it does kick in anyway.

A trip to the dealer (and a couple hundred bucks later (even though my truck is still under warranty)) hasn't helped. Does anyone have a similar issue?

Thank you and Happy New Year!!

PS Truck is always parked nose up. I've never noticed (or haven't parked rear up often enough to notice this issue in that case) this issue when parked otherwise.

 

First off it sounds like your rear Ebrake system is not functioning to par.

I would be sure to adjust up the rear drums. once you know they are adjusted up, see if that works. For how, get a manual! Haynes or chiltons.

If that does not help, then you have one of 2 problems -- worn shoes or stretched ebrake cables. Replace as needed.

Okay, that will keep you on the hill now, power, no power clutch in or out.

Now for the other issue with the pedal, I would make the ford dealer flush and bleed the brake system again. When I did mine, there was a TON of air trapped in the rear brake circuit. I dont know what ford is doing on the assembly line, but they ship the trucks with air in the lines.

If that does not help, check the vaccum. Sounds like it is low if it takes a few seconds to assist the brake pedal. It also maybe a bad brake booster.

All that should get you started.

 

Matt,

Ebrakes? Power brakes?

The brakes have already been adjusted. I'm not sure whether the dealer bled the lines or not. They probably didn't even though they charged me alot of $.

Pads are probably not worn, (I think) truck only has 35K.

My neighbor thinks the booster's bad. I probably should take my truck back to the dealer..

Thank bro.

 

Do you mean that when you put your foot on the brake in the morning it won't stop the truck? If the brakes work fine all day long it's probably not the booster. My guess would be a bad check valve on the vacuum line going into the booster. The check valve is supposed to hold enough vacuum for you to power brake 2 or 3 times without starting the truck. A slow leak on that vacuum line is also a possibility but not a likely.

-Jon

 

Jon,

That's correct. This happens only in the morning before starting the engine. The brakes work fine the rest of the time while driving.

 

Yep definitely sounds like a bad check valve.

-Jon

 

You think? did you like disconnect the speedo at one point or what? Ferris Bueler stunt with the Ferrari in reverse work for you?

You should use your ebrake so that you stay in the street and off the neighbors lawns when you start the truck.

35K, I would almost guarantee that your pads up front are about 80% gone. Time for a brake job!

Here is Cjs at 40K --



The new pad is in the background

 

Ferris Bueler?? Wasn't I too young to drive back then?

 

I've got a 99 Expedition with much the same behavior. Brakes work fine, but leaving the truck parked, there is no vacuum reserve after. Where is the check valve, how involved is it to change etc...

 

The check valve should be somewhere along the vacuum line that goes to the booster. Some vehicles have it right at the booster where the line goes in. In a small cylindrical plastic piece.

-Jon