Mushy brakes are now not mushy brakes

So for the past 7 1/2 years I’ve had my truck ( bought brand new) the brake pedal has always felt mushy. Seemed like I’d always have to push down harder to get the truck to stop. I figured since it’s been going on since day 1, that’s just how the brakes were. I’ve posted on here a few times over the years about it.

So anyways, since 2 days ago, I go to drive my truck, and now the brake pedal isn’t mushy, and it doesn’t require as much pressure to stop the truck. It actually feels awesome as it now brakes like all the other vehicles I’ve ever owned. Now, nothing has changed. I’m still on the original pads, rotors, etc. I haven’t done any maintenance on my truck all winter.

So anyone have an idea what occurred to improve my brake pedal like that? I love it, and I’m hoping it’s not a sign in anything wrong starting, I have a non-OR Prerunner.

I keep thinking maybe there was an air bubble in the brake lines and somehow it got worked out. Cause that’s how the brakes felt all these years ( as if there was air trapped in the lines causing the mushy brake pedal).

Any thoughts?

 

Not sure but I like the title of this thread.

 

How many miles do you have with stock pads and rotors? I only got 50k out of mine.

 

Currently on 58k and when I checked the pads, they look brand new with tons of pad left

 

I wouldn't worry unless one of you calipers has frozen. The air could have worked it's way out. If its not broke don't fix it.

 

I bet you're on track with the trapped air, maybe even debris.

 

The only place I could see an air bubble working its way out is the master cylinder. Any where else and the only way to get it out is bleeding.

 

Magic Is my guess. Whatever it is don’t mess with it until it feels mushy again.

 

I only got like 30k. Damn rush hour traffic every single day both ways.

 

just changed the '05 Taco brakes......157K on OEM's.......auto trannie

backs were still good as new........

 

I don’t know about yours but on my old tacoma when I replaced the brake fluid, it when from mushy too firm, like new again, I think it was a combo of old fluid and air bubbles. You could have just worked out the air bubbles somehow.

 

Yeah I suppose. I checked my master cylinder and brake booster, fluid is still full and nice and clear.( it’s the original fluid by the way).

 

Maybe your proportioning valve was shifted and it finally shifted back to where it needs to be. I had this happen once when I blew a rear brake line because of rust. It was on my old T-100.
After the line was replaced and the system was bled, it was spongy. I read somewhere that if you stomp the brakes a few times, it can shift things back to where they need to be.

Just spit balling but that's all I can come up with. If it was air in the system, you'd still have air in the system unless you bled them.

 

Mine was also the original fluid, but once I did the fluid replacement using a clear tube and bottle, not only did I see dark fluid coming out but also quite a bit of air bubbles. Look on utube about flushing out brake lines by yourself. A piece of clear tubing with 3/16 inside diameter and a clear plastic coke bottle plus a few cans of brake fluid and you can do this yourself. I was surprised how easy it was once I did this. You need to rule out you have no air bubbles.
Here is one example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioHjV4d6BWk

 

Damn, after a week or so with these nice firm brakes, I drove my truck this morning and the brakes are back to how they were the past 8 years ( soft and mushy when pressed ) after I braked hard for a red light. Ah well. It was good while it lasted. Makes me think that something could have been caught in the brakes and then just got dislodged somehow.

 

Have you ever adjusted the rear brakes?

 

here's a handy store bought bleeder kit.......

all ya need for $20