Brakes on 01 Chevy 1500 - soft pedal

[crew_dawg16]

I have spent the last 2 days doing a complete overhaul on my truck's brake system.

I replaced two front calipers after the bleeder screws seized in them and broke off and I bled the entire system with about a 1/2 gallon of dot 3.

The pedal still feels kinda soft to me and I am wondering why.

I sat at a stop sign and pushed the pedal hard, it goes all the way to the floor, and I can pump it many times with the same result, it will go all the way down if I push hard enough. Is it normal to be able to push the pedal to the floor?

Overall I would say that the braking power is OK but not great, I don't think I could lock up the wheels on a dry surface.

Any ideas or am I crazy?:shrug:

I should add: There are new rotors and pads all around, the truck does not pull or shake when stopping.

 

[VirtualSVT]

Bad master

 

[oilwell1415]

Those trucks are pretty notorious for spongy brake pedals. It could be a lot of things. Possibly air left in the system, the master cylinder, the ABS unit, soft brake pads, weak hoses, etc. Most aftermarket brake pads for those trucks are very soft. You can watch them squish down when you push the pedal. That's the price you pay for cheap and quiet. Are the rear brakes disc or drum? If they're drum did you adjust the shoes out until they are touching the drums?

I would not just blindly throw a master at it without checking out a lot of other things first.

 

[Crimson2v]

Was the master cylinder empty of brake fluid, if so you may have air trapped in it. Did the pedal go to the floor before you did the brakes?

 

[crew_dawg16]

The truck is 4 wheel disc. The master has not run dry, but the old fluid was almost black and had stuff floating in it. I removed the reservoir and cleaned it. I only used water and then let it dry for a while before remounting it.

Im not sure if the pedal would go to the floor before, but it feels similar so it probably did.

 

[crew_dawg16]

Those trucks are pretty notorious for spongy brake pedals. It could be a lot of things. Possibly air left in the system, the master cylinder, the ABS unit, soft brake pads, weak hoses, etc. Most aftermarket brake pads for those trucks are very soft. You can watch them squish down when you push the pedal. That's the price you pay for cheap and quiet. Are the rear brakes disc or drum? If they're drum did you adjust the shoes out until they are touching the drums?

I would not just blindly throw a master at it without checking out a lot of other things first.

I've heard that as well, the pads are the duralast gold from autozone. I didn't notice them squishing at all when I was bleeding but im sure they're not the best quality available.

 

[Crimson2v]

Are the calipers mounted with the bleeder screw at the top? I know some of the rear calipers on the F250's can be mounted on either side, just throwing something out their. If everything looks ok and there is no air in the system it could possibly be the master cylinder itself leaking internally and not holding pressure. The brake pedal on my Trooper will slowly go to the floor when stopped for a minute or two at a light, I have not had time to change the m/c out.

 

[bleedout]

Bad master

+1 on a bad master cylinder, id replace it and bleed the entire system again. good luck man

 

[crew_dawg16]

Are the calipers mounted with the bleeder screw at the top? I know some of the rear calipers on the F250's can be mounted on either side, just throwing something out their. If everything looks ok and there is no air in the system it could possibly be the master cylinder itself leaking internally and not holding pressure. The brake pedal on my Trooper will slowly go to the floor when stopped for a minute or two at a light, I have not had time to change the m/c out.

No, they're at the top. Gonna bleed it again tomorrow and look for improvement. If I don't see any change I will research the MC. Thanks guys

Edit: when I say it goes to the floor I mean that I can make it happen like "right now", it doesn't take any amount of time.