Squishy Brakes

Hello,
I haven't posted much but I read a lot and try to do searches first but can't find anything on what I'm looking for. I have a 2001 Tocoma Prerunner Xcab..all stock. The brakes on the truck were really touchy since the day I bought it new. Last Friday they went really squishy on me, brought it to the shop...Jefferson Auto..not dealership. Bled the brakes, changed the Proportioning Valve, the auto adjusters were rusted open (no back brakes I was told), they turned the drums, new discs up front and cleaned everything up. I get the truck and the brakes are still squishy. We went for a ride and he locked them up on a side street...street is wet from rain. Saw the marks from back tires so he knows they are working. He doesn't know what else to for. They are not as squishy as when the truck was first brought in but nowhere near how hard the pedal was before. Is this just something I should be getting used to? Suggestions anyone?
Thanks!!

 

Check the lines if they are old they could be expanding far more than they should and might need to be replaced.

Yoy are looking for and cracks over stretched areas or deformed areas.

 

Sounds like you need a new Brake Master Cylinder. Maybe Toyota makes a rebuild kit for them? They did years ago when i had trouble with my '69 Corona.


edit added link.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/120621-brake-master-cylinder-failure.html

 

Yeah This is where I was thinking. Master cylinders are pretty cheap and easy to replace. I would also Look at the Brake hoses that connect to the Calipers up front. They might have taken some damage or are Dry rotting allowing the hoses to expand when the breaks are applied. Although it is unlikely that they are both starting to Fail at the same time. If on side was failing on you I think you wold notice some pulling to one side when ever you hit the breaks. I would go with replacing the Master Cylinder.

 

I just went and checked...I can pump them and they get hard then keeping pressure on the pedal is goes down. I'm waiting for a call back from the shop to see if he even checked it..Thanks again!

 

Sounds like air in the lines or a master cylinder. It's typically a pretty easy swap.

 

I take when you change it out you have to bleed the brakes? I can this on my bike but never tried anything on my truck except swapping out a sensor before.

 

Yep.
Easy to do by your self. You may also have to "prime" the new master cylinder, there should be a slip of paper instructing how. Basically filling it up and bleeding excess air out before installing it.

To bleed brakes by yourself, you need two bottles of brake fluid, one new and an old one with a few inches of fluid in it, any empty bottle will work, just pour some new fluid in it, an inch or two is fine. A length of vacuum line sized to fit the bleeder zerk is also needed, couple feet is fine.

start with the bleeder valve farthest from the master cylinder, usually passenger rear.

You'll need a length of vacuum line, to fit over the bleeder zerk and long enough to go to the bottom of your used fluid bottle, which will be sitting on the ground by the tire.
Insert the loose end of the vacuum tube into the bottle, should be immersed in the fluid, the other end plugged into the bleeder zerk.
Open the bleeder.
Step on your brakes. Hold to the floor, release slowly and repeat 3-4 times and no more.
Check fluid level in master cylinder and top it off with fresh fluid from the new bottle.
Repeat process again, close bleeder valve and move to next wheel.

Don't forget to top off the master cylinder after each bleed process, this is very important or you will suck air in and have to start over.

Having the tube in the fluid in the waste bottle will prevent air from being pulled back into the system. It will not pull the old fluid back into the line, so no worries there.

This is the best method of one man brake bleeding I have ever used and has worked every time on a variety of vehicles

Start with passenger rear,
go to driver rear,
Passenger front next
Driver front last.

 

I just went out and checked it again. With the engine off, I can pump the pedal and it will get hard but not go down any, the pedal will stay high. With the engine on, if I pump the pedal it won't get hard at all, still squishy. Is that weird or made to act different if the engine is running?

 

sounds like master cylinder

 

I spent the ~$30 on a vacuum bleeder. It makes life WAY easier.

 

Is there a chance that they are just going to be feeling squishier with the new parts or should they be acting and feeling the same as before? I just wanna make sure I stop all the time and nothing is being overlooked.

 

There should be no squishiness. There is something that was overlooked, failing master cylinders can have a variety of symptoms, you are experiencing one of those symptoms.
Cheap insurance to replace it vs not stopping when it really counts.

 

I have one of those too, they work fine.
Bottle method is free, just as easy