Braking Nightmare

Hey guys, I’ve been chasing an issue within the last few weeks and I was hoping maybe one of you could shed some light on it. 2018 Tacoma TRD Sport DCSB, readylift 3/2 SST lift, 285/70/17 nitto ridge grapplers. After I got the lift put in 2 weeks ago I’ve felt inconsistency in the brake pedal, one moment it’s fine and normal, next the grab point is like 3 inches further down and I have to push harder to stop the truck. It’s not going to the floor that’s absolutely not what I’m saying, however the catch point of he brake puddle is noticeably further down enough to make me pucker a little to have to slam on the brakes. I had the recall on the brake master performed about 6 months ago, the truck exhibited no signs of the issue I just got it done for he sake of safety. Today I discovered if you pump the brakes enough the pedal will eventually stiffen and the dash will light up throwing the “check brake system” warning.. issue started after the lift, I’m sort of leaning towards thinking that the mater they swapped in is giving me issues but I guess I’m not ruling out the possibilities of anything else being wrong. Any help is appreciated TIA!!

 

You could take it back to the dealer that did the master cylinder, but they're gonna tell you it's related to you recent lift install. If it were my truck, I'd bleed the brake system again before I took it in, and see if that helps. Might be a little air in the system or something.

Oh...and welcome to TW!

 

Unless there's air in the system, your master cylinder is likely bad.

 

While it's unlikely, I'd do a thorough visual underneath just to make sure there's nothing immediately obviously related to the lift ('though for the life of me, I can't think of what it could be). Failing that, the master cylinder does seem the most likely culprit. Any codes thrown?

 

look at the brake lines to see if the lift has them stressed.

 

There’s nothing immediate that I can think of from my visual. I got it aligned the other day and them do a one over and they said everything looked good no kinked lines or anything either, and no codes on the dash just the warning for the brake system

 

https://we.tl/t-PWXqpol6sy

Here’s video. This is what I’m seeing when I pump the brakes, it wouldn’t let me upload it directly from my phone

 

Has your break line been disconnected at all when the lift was done? It really sounds like air in the lines.

 

Go to the last work done before it started happening. Lift kit - air or a kinked line. Master could have shit the bed too. Fluid level is fine?

 

Nope, I didn’t do the lift myself because of time restrictions, I threw my buddy $100 and he did it while I was at work one day and everything else is solid, even the shop that aligned it says everything seems fine, he swore he didn’t touch the brakes at all. I’m gonna bleed them right now and see if that helps. I’d hate to waste a trip to the dealer and get a headache if they only needed to be bled

 

I’d rebleed the system first and then check the sensors to see if they got damaged when they changed stuff out or stretched your brake lines pulling on them causing the issue

 

Do you have a conventional vacuum booster or the hydraulic booster? Both can be tricky, but the hydraulic booster type in general requires a relatively specific bleeding operation to get the air out. Same goes for the ABS actuator.

It definitely sounds like there could be air stuck in some of the valving to get such inconsistencies.

Jeff

 

Just bled the system and although 3/4 calipers spit out a few small air pockets it’s the same exact thing, pumping brake pedal shows check brake system and inconsistent pedal sometimes catch point is right there sometimes catch point is half way down. I guess everything points to the master? Annoying because it was supposed to have been changed already under recall

 

Right, you had the recall done; so it’s the conventional system. If you suspect an odd air pocket in the system, you need to first bleed the master cylinder, then the lines, and if you are still having issues, bleed the ABS actuator (requires Techstream).

Have you performed the ABS actuator electronic bleed procedure?

Jeff

 

My high school vehicle was a 1970 El Camino SS (man I miss that vehicle) and it behaved in the same manner. We went through 3 master cylinders before I installed one that worked. The initial one and the subsequent installs failed in the same manner you explained. If I remember correctly the refurbished master cylinders were prone to failure so we ended up buying a brand new one and that was the one that worked. I had another trial and error issue with the starter a year later and then decided to just buy new parts from that point on, trying to save a few bucks cost me more in time and frustration.

 

No I haven’t done that yet I just bled all 4 corners anything above that is higher than my knowledge allows me to go lol, I also don’t have Techstream. Hopefully the dealer will figure it out tomorrow morning. Praying they don’t bust my balls over the lift though especially if it has nothing to do with the actual issue

 

I would hope the master that the dealer installed for the recall wasn’t refurbished lol

 

Toyota doesn’t sell refurbished master cylinders.

Or differential gears for that matter. Saw someone else mention that in another thread a while back, lol.

Jeff

 

TS is in my signature.

You can also just get out there and try to lock 'em up to trigger the ABS module.

 

What would be the benefit of triggering the ABS module?