Soft Brakes Anyone?

[NickTheEnforcer]

mine were/are touchy. very different than my last truck that had the perfect amount of take-up before the grabbed. It took me about 3 months to get used to it. In fact I was starting to think I was never going to acclimate to this new feeling and maybe have to get rid of it. For the adjustment time I absolutely hated them.

Sponsored

 

[Porpoise Hork]

When I first got the truck the brakes had an inconsistent engagement point and rather soft pedal feel. This was completely unlike nearly every other Ford I have driven. After putting about 1K miles on it they still had not improved much at all, even after performing a bedding in procedure on them. I decided that I might try to de-glaze the pads when installing the front leveling kit and see if it made any improvement. The pads were removed and I used an emery pad on a rotary sanding tool on the pad contact surface to lightly scuff them up. The same thing was done to both rotors to scuff them up just a little bit to help when bedding them in properly.

After de-glazing the front brakes and performing a high speed bedding in process twice there has been a significant improvement in the overall brake performance. While the pedal feel is still much softer than your typical Ford, the engagement point and stopping force is now very consistent. There is no sense that the brakes are inadequate or give any cause for concern. Having driven European cars for the past 15 years the brake pedal feel is now nearly identical to those.

 

[bandit67]

If you want a more responsive pedal to the point of jerking the truck into deceleration by barely hitting the brakes, just set the adaptive cruise to a high speed and let the truck run up on a much slower moving vehicle in front of you, then hit the brake pedal. You'll just about go through the windshield.

 

[RCMUSTANG]

People still conflating the actual stopping with the way the pedal is soft and very vague. The pedal feel is on the opposite side of the planet from being touchy.

 

[Sandman Ranger]

When I go from my GTI to Ranger the brake feel is not night and day different. Truck does stop slowed but it is 1,000lbs heavier.
GTI is also a performance package with disc upgrade and track/daily pads. So Ranger is not bad. On any truck 4 piston calipers would be nice, but Ranger will likely stay stock for now. If concerned maybe bleed brakes to insure no air. Or upgrade to higher performance fluid to insure performance at heat.

 

[Hounddog409]

for reference sake, i had my truck in for 25000km service a few weeks ago.
had them do the Works and they asked me if I even use my brakes.

they said they're still at factory specs for wear.

either they measured wrong, or I'm the chosen one and my brakes will last forever on this thing.
however this brake system is designed, i have no problem with the feel or how it stops. sure, compared to other vehicles it feels different. but not that different.

My F150 had 70k on in when I traded in for the ranger. Still has factory pads on it.

 

[y2krtaf]

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.

OK then,I got rid of a KIA Soul for this truck,and it had a far superior pedal feel to these....

Not saying it won’t stop,but Damn is the pedal feel is bad.

I personally chalk it up to being a Ford thing,as Ford has always had some of the worst brake feel vehicles I’ve ever owned.My ’78 F250 4x4 ,and ’76 Granada were overboosted like mad,as was a ’71 Torino wagon.I did have a Grabber maverick that was pretty good,as were most of the Mustangs I had though.

Overall though I still like the truck,and will have fun with it.Probably do at least a front brake upgrade,as that seems to get good reviews.

 

[landiscarrier]

Just came from a Focus ST that had the touchiest brakes ever to a Ranger that has the softest brakes.....you do get use to them in a few days.

 

[Texasota]

Just came from a Focus ST that had the touchiest brakes ever to a Ranger that has the softest brakes.....you do get use to them in a few days.

The Ranger is different than my Fusion. But you are right, I adapt and it is an easy adjustment.

 

[Khouji]

Just came from a Focus ST that had the touchiest brakes ever to a Ranger that has the softest brakes.....you do get use to them in a few days.

I know how you feel about soft brakes.

 

[Madtel4]

I have had a lot of Fords. The 2020 Ranger has the worst brake peddle feel I have ever had. Very soft even worse is how low the peddle is. Lower than the throttle. Very unsafe as your foot hits the gas as you try to stop. I have tried bedding 3 times but did not help. In the old days you would just adjust the brakes. However disk brakes are not adjustable. This only leaves poor engendering of the booster, master cylinder, or linkage assuming that the calibers are OK. This can and should be fixed.
lee

 

[Ranger man]

This is my first post

I believe I figured out the brake problem by accident and it’s the E brake and I think others that claim the brakes improved with time use there parking brake all the time but me I only use the parking brake when I am jacking it up to work on it or parked on a hill.

This is my story

I have disliked my brakes from the beginning.
Took it back to the dealer they ran it through tests and said everything checked out good there’s no problems with the brakes. They even let me try a couple of others on the lot and really no different than mine.
I read all posts on the brakes and hear some say you get used to them but I disagree there shouldn’t be anything with brakes that you need to get used to.
I’m old school always fixed things my self and I knew from past experiences that it had to be air somewhere in the system.
you pump the brakes a couple of times and the pedal is were it should be.

I bought 4 quarts of dot 4 brake fluid and tried everything as far as bleeding the brakes, all 4 corners with the pumping the brake and also reverse bleeding all 4 corners with no improvements in the pedal.
even had a friend with the equipment to help bleed the ABS system to no avail.

It drove me crazy and I don’t know how bad some of your brakes are but mine I’d hit the gas pedal sometimes and that’s not right. I’m a one foot driver, learned to drive with a clutch and the first few times backing out of a parking spot I’d put my foot on the brake put it in reverse and the truck would jump and your first reaction is to push on the brake harder and at the same time your pushing on the gas pedal and off you go. Pretty scary and not right.

I love this truck but I hate the brakes and after reading all there is to read about the brakes I gave up a few months ago.

I decided to paint the calipers, so I removed the calipers and rotors for cleaning and paint.
they turned out looking very nice, during the process I scuffed the rotors and sanded the pads put everything back but the springs for the parking brake, I tried everything but just could not collapse the springs enough to get them installed.

The brakes felt a little better after that. I guess you could say except-able then after a few weeks I finally figured out a way to collapse and tie off the springs to install them. Now I’m right back where I started.

I thought about this a while and figured it could be the E brake causing all this, did some research on this type of E brake and found that it self adjusts itself each time you set the brake and from what I’ve seen on these E brakes not easy to collapse for new pads.

Now I Get in the truck and start applying and releasing the brake and as I do this I notice the emergency brake hand is not coming up as high, take it for a test drive and I think there might be a little improvement so now I act like I’m mad at it and start pulling it up and down with truck running and pumping the brakes at the same time until I was unable to do it anymore.

I take it for a test drive and now they feel almost normal, I yanked on it for at least 10 minutes before I test drove it and knew I was done tired took a brake ate dinner came back and did it all over again probably doing this set and release 500 times maybe more between the first and second time.

take it for a test drive and now they grab within the first inch of travel and when I get a chance I will bleed the rear calipers just to make sure I didn’t release any trapped air in there, most likely not but you never know.

I could be wrong but my guess is that at the factory they don’t pull up on theE brake or maybe only a few times and that’s not enough and after doing this I truly believe that each time you pull up on the parking brake handle it only adjusts maybe a couple of thousands of an inch, I know this sounds crazy but it worked for me and I thought I’d share my experience with all of you and hopefully it will help others.

 

[Rigwright]

I towed a 1998 Buick LeSabre with a U-Haul tow dolly across most of Ohio. Combined weight was 4,300+ lbs with no trailer brakes. These trucks have awesome brakes. Just push on the pedal. Try it, you'll like it.

 

[geophb]

This is my first post

I believe I figured out the brake problem by accident and it’s the E brake and I think others that claim the brakes improved with time use there parking brake all the time but me I only use the parking brake when I am jacking it up to work on it or parked on a hill.

This is my story

I have disliked my brakes from the beginning.
Took it back to the dealer they ran it through tests and said everything checked out good there’s no problems with the brakes. They even let me try a couple of others on the lot and really no different than mine.
I read all posts on the brakes and hear some say you get used to them but I disagree there shouldn’t be anything with brakes that you need to get used to.
I’m old school always fixed things my self and I knew from past experiences that it had to be air somewhere in the system.
you pump the brakes a couple of times and the pedal is were it should be.

I bought 4 quarts of dot 4 brake fluid and tried everything as far as bleeding the brakes, all 4 corners with the pumping the brake and also reverse bleeding all 4 corners with no improvements in the pedal.
even had a friend with the equipment to help bleed the ABS system to no avail.

It drove me crazy and I don’t know how bad some of your brakes are but mine I’d hit the gas pedal sometimes and that’s not right. I’m a one foot driver, learned to drive with a clutch and the first few times backing out of a parking spot I’d put my foot on the brake put it in reverse and the truck would jump and your first reaction is to push on the brake harder and at the same time your pushing on the gas pedal and off you go. Pretty scary and not right.

I love this truck but I hate the brakes and after reading all there is to read about the brakes I gave up a few months ago.

I decided to paint the calipers, so I removed the calipers and rotors for cleaning and paint.
they turned out looking very nice, during the process I scuffed the rotors and sanded the pads put everything back but the springs for the parking brake, I tried everything but just could not collapse the springs enough to get them installed.

The brakes felt a little better after that. I guess you could say except-able then after a few weeks I finally figured out a way to collapse and tie off the springs to install them. Now I’m right back where I started.

I thought about this a while and figured it could be the E brake causing all this, did some research on this type of E brake and found that it self adjusts itself each time you set the brake and from what I’ve seen on these E brakes not easy to collapse for new pads.

Now I Get in the truck and start applying and releasing the brake and as I do this I notice the emergency brake hand is not coming up as high, take it for a test drive and I think there might be a little improvement so now I act like I’m mad at it and start pulling it up and down with truck running and pumping the brakes at the same time until I was unable to do it anymore.

I take it for a test drive and now they feel almost normal, I yanked on it for at least 10 minutes before I test drove it and knew I was done tired took a brake ate dinner came back and did it all over again probably doing this set and release 500 times maybe more between the first and second time.

take it for a test drive and now they grab within the first inch of travel and when I get a chance I will bleed the rear calipers just to make sure I didn’t release any trapped air in there, most likely not but you never know.

I could be wrong but my guess is that at the factory they don’t pull up on theE brake or maybe only a few times and that’s not enough and after doing this I truly believe that each time you pull up on the parking brake handle it only adjusts maybe a couple of thousands of an inch, I know this sounds crazy but it worked for me and I thought I’d share my experience with all of you and hopefully it will help others.

Just did this over lunch. Figured it wouldn't hurt. Much better brake feel, grabs way higher up on the pedal.

For anyone not willing to read through his dissertation that he wrote: Just work the parking brake up and down a bunch (20-30 times or so). I also worked the parking brake with the brake pedal pressed, unpressed, and pumped the pedal few times while working the handle.

I have bled and also bedded the brakes previously and this improved the pedal the most.

 

[7600]

Mine was soft too. Had pads and rotors replaced at 32000, seems better now.

Sponsored