Brakes

[HLram]

Well, didn't cure the soft pedal issue. Even had Hawk pads put on it yesterday before coming back down here (to stop the squeal hopefully - they squeal when they get dusty, not because of the soft pedal- the originals were in good shape). New fluid in system did not help - still soft as hell when I'm idling on location after the truck gets above 194 degrees. Any less temp and it doesn't do it. Any more and it does it regularly now. Only does it once each time, then firm pedal after that. Still has only done it at speed that one time, but I am getting worried about the public's safety. I am driving slower and not crowding anyone running down the road, but the earliest appt at my dealer or any other dealer around South Texas where I work is like next week or later. May be time to re-visit that 2500 Longhorn I looked at a couple weeks ago.....do they put heavier duty brakes on the 2500? What is an ABS module (I'm assuming it "meters" the flow somehow or something similar) and where is it located at? And WHY doesn't it do it at speed like it does at an idle? It's got to be heat related because of that fact. At speed it is alot cooler with the airflow etc.

 

[Kaiser]

Would you say it does it more often now after the flush? Do you know what kind of fluid they used? I noticed on my truck this weekend there is a brake distribution block on the driver's side frame rail mounted right near the cat. converter which is one of the hottest parts of the exhaust. Maybe check the temp of that next time when the conditions are likely for it to happen again.

 

[HLram]

I don't know what type of fluid they used. I asked them to use the best, highest temp fluid they could for my truck. I don't think the flush made any difference in the symptoms actually. The pedal feels a little firmer during normal driving than it did before the flush, but it still happens often on location. As often as before. It did, however, do it the worst that it has done it the other day. Just one time. Pedal went all the way to the floor. Hasn't done it but once at speed. It is currently in my dealer in Longview right now with an appt for tomorrow am. I told them to idle the truck for an hour or so away from the wind so it would heat up real good to operating temps and drive it slowly around their lot to try and duplicate it. If they cannot find the problem I don't know what to do with it. I can't drive it much longer this way and I don't want some unsuspecting person to buy the truck if I trade it in. They could run over their kid or something. At least I am aware of the problem and always keep in my mind an "out" in case it does it. I am not driving nearly as aggressively as normally. Short of replacing every single brake system part I jut don't know what to do if they can't or won't fix it. And they certainly won't do that under warranty anyways. I'd have to pay for that. I did get some Hawk pads from Moe's and had them installed at Midas the other day, but that was to combat the squeal, not the feel. And they do work. No squeal so far.

 

[Hornet]

If it's not pushing fluid out anywhere on the ground,it has to be either the booster unit or the master cylinder.
Otherwise it would build pressure and hold.
I'd start with the master cylinder,as it's probably got a bad seal that goes soft when hot,and it's the most likely place for fluid to bypass and cause the pedal to go to the floor

 

[HLram]

I tried insulating the master cylinder for a few days to keep heat from it. It still didn't help. Do you think that if that was the case, that the insulation would have improved it or what? It really didn't change anything. Unless the heat was still getting thru or from the lines going to the master cylinder? The tech at dodge dealer and one at midas told me that if it was a booster issue that the pedal would be getting harder to mash. Makes sense to me because then it'd be like NOT having a booster. What do you think? And also, why would it just do it the one time, and then have a strong pedal on the second push? Strange strange strange..........

 

[moparman]

Is it losing fluid at all sense the flush? It could have a bad seal in the master and it is leaking inside the booster itself. There could also be an air pocket inside the abs pump. I know most dodge/chrysler/jeep vehicles can be bled through the abs unit with a scan tool. A bad brake hose swelling from heat or bad proportioning valve could do it too. When midas put the pads in did they have any problems compressing the pistons in the calipers? A stuck piston or slide could create this issue as well. An issue like this has a bunch of different variables.

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[HLram]

I didn't ask them about any issues compressing the piston. If it was a bad hose, wouldn't it continually do it? not just once, then a firm pedal? There is no fluid leaking externally from the truck at all. Not one single drop anywhere. No even an oily buildup anywhere. Lol. I kinda wish it was, then I'd be able to fix it then. At least would have a good reason for it to do it.

 

[Hornet]

The only place the system can bypass fluid and not show an external leak is the master cylinder,anywhere else it'd have to show an external leak,and even if leaking,it still wouldn't exhibit your problems.
There's no place other then the master cylinder in a brake system that will exhibit your problems
If the trucks under warrenty start yelling at your dealer to test the master cylinder.
Odds are the master cylinder probably has a bad seal,and seals up and works fine after the first decently hard brake application

 

[moparman]

I didn't ask them about any issues compressing the piston. If it was a bad hose, wouldn't it continually do it? not just once, then a firm pedal? There is no fluid leaking externally from the truck at all. Not one single drop anywhere. No even an oily buildup anywhere. Lol. I kinda wish it was, then I'd be able to fix it then. At least would have a good reason for it to do it.

If it was a hose swelling with heat, it would do it once it got hot. If the master is leaking you wont notice it around it but the resovoir will be low. A leaking seal wouldnt necessarily show on the outside but if its leaking internally youll never see it.



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[HLram]

Ok, guys, thanks alot for the advice. Once the dealer finds the problem (IF they find it) I will update this thread so maybe it will help someone else in the future with their truck. I may end up in the Cummins section down the page if they don't fix it............lol

 

[HLram]

Dealer could not duplicate the symptoms. They would not run it long enough to get it hot enough to act up. I started thinking about when the brakes started doing this, and came to the conclusion that the shop that installed my Bilsteins may have dropped one of my calipers and damaged the hose to where when it gets hot from the engine compartment then it swells. So I had the dealer put two new front brake hoses on and also threw a new master cylinder on it just in case that was the issue. $612 later and my brakes are working properly now. I am reasonably sure it was one of the hoses. I had it on location yesterday evening and got it plenty hot. And no soft pedal issues at all. So it's fixed. If anyone has this happen, now you know what might cause it. Hope it helps....

 

[Trupiano]

Glad you got it fixed and figured out!

El phono