Soft Brakes Anyone?

[Hounddog409]

Yeah, this is a "Ranger thing" that everybody notices, some hate it, some like it, most don't mind. I thought it was weird at first but soon got used to it. The brakes work great over all, but they engage a lot lower than most folks are used to.

Broad statement with everyone.....

I see no problems with the brakes. They are not soft or squishy. Same feels my 2014 F150.

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[y2krtaf]

Hate the long soft stroke when it comes to the brakes on these things for sure.

Really bad going from it to my Hellcat,or even the wife’s Jeep.

I will probably look into the upgrade in the near future.

 

[HarryD]

The brake feel is "Relative". I find it to be less than ideal, as I am comparing it to a harder pedal with less travel such as on my wife's Grand Cherokee. Others comparing it to maybe an F150 would possibly find it feels normal.

That being said, as time goes on and mostly driving the Ranger I am "getting used to it".

 

[myothercarizahearse]

You should try driving a 6500 pound hearse. now that's soft brakes. you can feel them engage but nothing happens. you need to get at them to slow down. then I drive the ranger and forget to take it easy then i smack my head on the windshield

 

[RCMUSTANG]

Again, a lot of people are conflating the terrible pedal feel with the actual stopping power. The stopping is decent. The pedal feels like garbage.

 

[Jake596]

Again, a lot of people are conflating the terrible pedal feel with the actual stopping power. The stopping is decent. The pedal feels like garbage.

Spot on ! the brakes are outstanding...when you get to them. I give'er a second pump just to get them to grab..

 

[Rigwright]

I just towed a Buick LeSabre for 4 hours across the State of Ohio yesterday with a towing dolly. These trucks have stout brakes and the transmission braking works well. Used Sport Mode and didn't go over 62 MPH. No trailer brakes on the dolly.
This truck is a mid-size beast.

 

[Deleted member 1634]

I just towed a Buick LeSabre for 4 hours across the State of Ohio yesterday with a towing dolly. These trucks have stout breaks and the transmission breaking works well. Used Sport Mode and didn't go over 62 MPH. No trailer breaks on the dolly.
This truck is a mid-size beast.

Just curious, why Sport mode and not Tow/Haul mode?

 

[Rigwright]

Just curious, why Sport mode and not Tow/Haul mode?

LOL. Probably should have pushed that button too. Put in all the parameters for "trailer" size, etc. These trucks like doing work. The 10 speed tranny & the turbo make for a nice towing set-up.

 

[missesbe]

I was glad to see this thread and hear from other owners that this is a "thing". I got my Ranger after selling my Ecodiesel Jeep Grand Cherokee, which I loved. The brakes are so different that I started worrying that there was a problem, but this thread puts my mind at ease. Now I love my Ranger just as much as my JGC!

 

[Amsoil guy]

Spot on ! the brakes are outstanding...when you get to them. I give'er a second pump just to get them to grab..

I agree. I as well give it a quick second pump and the brakes are there right now.

 

[Rigwright]

I think a "second pump" is only wasting valuable time in stopping the truck. Just press on the pedal. If you want to stop faster, then press harder. These trucks have great brakes. Also "pumping" the brakes defeats the ABS system if you really do need to stop quickly.

 

[Blue Power Ranger]

I have the opposite experience. If I press too hard or too quickly on the brakes, I will put myself through the windshield.

 

[pull string get cookies]

I have noticed but not mentioned that my brakes have seemed a little soft from the day that I purchased my 2019 back in December. Just seems like you have to push the pedal way down before the braking starts. My wife's 2017 Escape has had very responsive braking from the day we got it. I did check fluid, and it is good....anybody else have this issue?

I’m certainly not calling anyone out in this post. To put it bluntly, expectations need to be managed. The 2019-2020 Ford Ranger is not a crossover, or a sedan, a coupe, a SUV, or a sports car. It is a pickup, and as such I expect braking characteristics to reflect that aspect. Can one’s spouse’s crossover confidently handle braking loads of up to 7,500 lbs? I don’t know. Having been a BMW and Porsche technician, I would never expect brake pedal feel from one model to the next to ever mimic the other; that’d be ridiculous. As others in this forum have stated, trust the engineers, at least to a certain extent. The rest, adjust to your needs and expectations. All the best. JJ

 

[pull string get cookies]

Hate the long soft stroke when it comes to the brakes on these things for sure.

Really bad going from it to my Hellcat,or even the wife’s Jeep.

I will probably look into the upgrade in the near future.

Apples to oranges comparison; why on earth would one compare a midsized pickup’s brakes to an American Muscle car or a Jeep? While we’re at it, let‘s compare a neurosurgeon‘s ability to repair a spine to that of an otolaryngologist‘s. Not calling anyone out specifically, just making a point that I hope gets across. Also, not implying that said point was ever missed.

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