Brakes dont seem to work so good..HELP!

so recently i fixed my lspv and that squared away my brake leak....but even before that all happened my brakes just dont feel good. i do n ot have abs and dont know if that would make them feel diff. it feels like the truck just doesnt want to stop. at high speeds coming to a stop they feel fine but going around town they feel as if i dont have very good stopping power. the truck just want to keep moving forward it seems like i have a load on the back...i need help it is starting to scare me...i testes last night and i cant even skid my tires when i slamm it to the floor. help

 

Were the brakes properly bled? Also, pads and rotors in good shape? Sounds like you have air in the system or a leak. Does the pedal hold pressure if you're stopped and just pressing on the pedal?

 

yes it holds pressure. i have done a vaccum test and a booster test and they check out....i need to bleed again and get new lines but i would think i could lock mine up without abs but maybe i not going fast enough. they just seem like coming to a stop takes alot of pedal.

 

In reading what you have posted, you may want to replace your flexible brake lines going to your front calipers. It sounds like the lines have collapsed inside the housing and you are trying to push bake fluid though a line that is collapsed inside. A small amount gets through, but it feels like you are having to stand on your brake pedal to make it work. You may want to change the rear flex lines at the same time to clear your system out. Your metal lines do not need replacing, unless you have damaged the lines off roading and kinked the lines. Good Luck.

 

just ordered lines off wheelers before you posted that ha.. hopefully this will help

 

How many miles do you have on the truck? You may also have a faulty master cylinder that is starting to go out..

 

220xxx

 

Sometimes gear oil leaks into the rear brakes from the differential. Toyota has made a technical service bulletin about this issue. I battled with it to the tune of $1000 on a 99 Trd 4x4 once. See if your parking brake works ok because it uses the rear brakes. If possible, pull the rear drums off and check for oil on the brake shoes. If the diff breather is clogged the fluid will go into the brakes, or if the axle bearings or seals are worn it will leak into the brakes.

Another problem you might have is your brake master cylinder. You might see a fluid leak stain on the front of the brake booster if it's leaking. This will make you pedal go to the floor once in a while and could cause you to crash.

If your calipers are rusty, the steel pins could get stuck. The calipers are supposed to move a bit.

The brakes are probably the worst part of the 1st gen. taco.

 

My caliper on my left side is seizing internally somehow. It is lubricated on the outside.

That might be your problem.

Also, if they are new pads, they need some time to set in.

If you bled it in the wrong order, they might still have some air in them. I had that problem as well.

 

what the proper bleeding order?

 

rear passenger side, rear driver side, passenger side, driver side.

 

Yeah, you do this because you want to bleed the longest brake line first.

 

Just bled mine today after putting on the new rear line, your fluid could also be really nasty and dirty causing it to clog up and make it harder to push the fluid through... Have you tried just flushing the whole system with fresh clean fluid?

 

Sorry don't have much technicality to add, but I recently replaced the front pads, rotors, bled and had new brake fluid put in the system two weeks ago. Before that my brakes had a very mushy feeling and would take almost all of the pedal play down to the floor pad to stop decently. Now after the above was replaced, not only does the truck stop in a much shorter distance, the pedal is firm and only takes about 1/4 to 1/2 pedal play to start stop significantly. Basically it feels like a whole other vehicle.

 

Good to hear it worked out for you! Brakes are not for the impatient person.

 

and while you are flushing the system, it pays to go ahead and use DOT4, fluid, its only a dollar or 2 more but its worth it.
and with abs systems, you should try to do this every 2 years or depending on use, when your fluid starts to become discolored.
it will save you alot of aggravation in the long run.

 

i have a mushy pedal also and i have replaced the pads, shoes, fluid, and master cylinder. still have the problem mushy pedal that goes all the way to the floor and does not stop well. guess i should order lines and replace them.

 

I bought the Wheeler's stainless brake lines from another TW member who bought, but did not use them. The fluid in my system was the original fluid and my brakes have always been a bit spongy. I decided to replace the fluid before I put the new lines on. What a difference just replacing the fluid made. The brakes have a totally different (better) feel to them and stop much better. Now I just need to put the new stainless lines on and I will be set.

The bottom line...if you haven't ever flushed the brake system, do it. You won't regret it.

 

thats what I have been preaching to people for years! 2 years max depending on use.
if your brakes are still soft, I would first bled them again, and bled them long and hard. sometimes a pocket of air is hard to get out and thats all it takes.

 

how do you flush the whole system?