Soft/Mushy/Inconsistent Brake Fix?

If you have tried to bed in your brakes what was the outcome?

  • The brakes now are 100 perfect. Exactly how I like them. Wouldn't change a thing.

    Votes: 20 31.3%
  • Most of the soft/mushy/inconsistent feeling is gone. Still get a bit of brake softness occasionally

    Votes: 13 20.3%
  • Honestly, feel no difference at all.

    Votes: 15 23.4%
  • Braking seems to a bit better but the the brakes still exhibit quite a bit of softness/inconsistency

    Votes: 16 25.0%

  • Total voters
    64

Porpoise Hork

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My truck as about 1200 miles on it when I installed the front leveling kit. While doing that I pulled the pads out and lightly deglazed them with an emery cloth on a rotary sander. After performing the bedding in process 2 times the brakes are significantly better. The pedal feel is not the way I would like it, and has a bit of extra travel before actuation but braking performance is significantly better than when I first got it.

The only time the brake pedal actuation is very shallow and delivers a very firm feel is when the hill-stop function activates when stopping on an incline grater than 4 degrees.
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gov cheese

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After bedding brakes:
mostly gone but my other car is a 2016 mustang so the truck brakes will always feel a little softer.
I still get that little let off when almost stopped. feels like losing engine braking or a gear up shift in turn unloading the front-end.
 

AverageWhiteGuy

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Master cylinder to caliper ratio is off. Master cylinder is too big causing the horrible pedal feel. I installed larger front brakes and the pedal feel became like it should feel. More positive feel and consistent. I doubt Ford will ever do anything about this. I have no idea why they decided to run a master cylinder this size and felt the pedal feel was acceptable. I already reported this conclusion months ago after I installed the larger front brake kit. It's what i suspected since i looked into this. Look back at my locked thread where i originally brought this up.
Agreed, where's the group buy? When I stop at traffic lights, I noticed the truck starts slowly creeping forward unless I slam on the brakes. :(
 

Plinky

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Spongy brake pedal that felt like there was air in the hydraulic system was what I first complained about when I brought it in for it's first oil change. They had the luber goober NTF it & told me they all do it.

Looking at trading it in for one of the new Broncos at the moment, but will have to wait since I heard the manual transmission model will be late (not a fan of the 10 spd AT).
 

HenryMac

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No issues with our 2019... currently at 12,000+ miles
 


P. A. Schilke

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Spongy brake pedal that felt like there was air in the hydraulic system was what I first complained about when I brought it in for it's first oil change. They had the luber goober NTF it & told me they all do it.

Looking at trading it in for one of the new Broncos at the moment, but will have to wait since I heard the manual transmission model will be late (not a fan of the 10 spd AT).
Hi Chris,

Bed in your brakes. Not a total fix but does seem to imporve this condition. Search the forums for my name and the bed in proceedure...not hard but have to have a few minutes on your hand.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 

Plinky

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Hi Chris,

Bed in your brakes. Not a total fix but does seem to imporve this condition. Search the forums for my name and the bed in proceedure...not hard but have to have a few minutes on your hand.
Kinda used to it now, but still shouldn't have this issue IMO.

Hardly looked under the hood, but aren't these utilizing "simulated" braking (no booster, all EBCM controlled)? '19 & up GM full size trucks have the same setup if so, pedal feels just fine. That & the front calipers look a little small in comparison to what other manufacturers are using. GMC Canyon has 4-piston fronts, huge brakes that stop on a dime. New Ranger looks like it has front calipers from an '11 Ranger (too small for the truck).

Not knocking the truck, just feel like Ford skimped on something that should matter. Brakes shouldn't feel like there's air in the system, especially in a panic situation with ABS (pumping brakes usually freaks the EBCM out).
 

HenryMac

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Kinda used to it now, but still shouldn't have this issue IMO.
Most don't. Take yours back to the dealership, as previously discussed.
 

P. A. Schilke

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Kinda used to it now, but still shouldn't have this issue IMO.

Hardly looked under the hood, but aren't these utilizing "simulated" braking (no booster, all EBCM controlled)? '19 & up GM full size trucks have the same setup if so, pedal feels just fine. That & the front calipers look a little small in comparison to what other manufacturers are using. GMC Canyon has 4-piston fronts, huge brakes that stop on a dime. New Ranger looks like it has front calipers from an '11 Ranger (too small for the truck).

Not knocking the truck, just feel like Ford skimped on something that should matter. Brakes shouldn't feel like there's air in the system, especially in a panic situation with ABS (pumping brakes usually freaks the EBCM out).
Hi Chris,

Agree to a point. Vehicle does stop well, but braking confidence is not there. 5G had to meet the FMVSS requirements and it does this but not with confidence. Sort of like when you fart with confidence there is no squirt, eh? The 2011 were properly sized for the vehicle. We had best in class braking and brake confidence. I know who signed off on the current 5G and he is a technically inept person who is only interested in his next promotion. While it is my opinion he should be in charge of corporate Janitor supplies only, he is unfortunately still there.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 
Last edited:

Msfitoy

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Hi Chris,

Agree to a point. Vehicle does stop well, but braking confidence is not there. 5G had to meet the FMCSS requirements and it does this but not with confidence. Sort of like when you fart with confidence there is no squirt, eh? The 2011 were properly sized for the vehicle. We had best in class braking and brake confidence. I know who signed off on the current 5G and he is a technically inept person who is only interested in his next promotion. While it is my opinion he should be in charge of corporate Janitor supplies only, he is unfortunately still there.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
Fart visuals...Oh God...lol

57,000 miles plus nearly 1000lbs gear...I brake gently as much as possible and I think there's at least 50% pad left with smooth rotors...feels very progressive and always confident there's way more brake if I needed it...I drive with my shoes off and one toes does all the work...two if it's an emergency ?
 

jss81258

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Hi Chris,

Agree to a point. Vehicle does stop well, but braking confidence is not there. 5G had to meet the FMCSS requirements and it does this but not with confidence. Sort of like when you fart with confidence there is no squirt, eh? The 2011 were properly sized for the vehicle. We had best in class braking and brake confidence. I know who signed off on the current 5G and he is a technically inept person who is only interested in his next promotion. While it is my opinion he should be in charge of corporate Janitor supplies only, he is unfortunately still there.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
So, how do you REALLY feel about this dude..........
?
 

Bsqrd

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Hi Chris,

Agree to a point. Vehicle does stop well, but braking confidence is not there. 5G had to meet the FMCSS requirements and it does this but not with confidence. Sort of like when you fart with confidence there is no squirt, eh? The 2011 were properly sized for the vehicle. We had best in class braking and brake confidence. I know who signed off on the current 5G and he is a technically inept person who is only interested in his next promotion. While it is my opinion he should be in charge of corporate Janitor supplies only, he is unfortunately still there.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
I hear you. I worked with a few of these types in the Aircraft Industry. I also think Ford should at least look into a fix. I have owned many other Ford vehicles including my 35ft motorhome and it has better brake feel and response than my new Ranger. I find while rolling slowly up to a light I have to apply a considerable amount of pressure to stop the vehicle. My motorhome holds the pedal much better in the same situation. I also have found while driving on the freeway if I pump the brakes the pedal comes up and "feels" as it should. I used to do this with my autocross cars to make sure I had brakes before I rolled into a corner. I shouldn't have to do this on my new daily driver.
 

Msfitoy

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I find while rolling slowly up to a light I have to apply a considerable amount of pressure to stop the vehicle.
Wow...definitely very different experience than what I have...something is off standards I think...my pedal is very progressive and as I've mentioned, I'm carrying weight and brake with one toe...
 

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I believe the poll questions are missing one key question or statement, "my truck brakes fine from day one and still does". Meaning that anyone with braking issues might have gotten a bad lot of brake pads. It happens often, we had a bad lot of aftermarket brake pads at the county that caused our vehicles from our fleet who received the pads to burn through them at a substantially increased rate let alone the stopping issues. Chargers mostly but some trucks and Durangos .
 

HenryMac

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I believe the poll questions are missing one key question or statement, "my truck brakes fine from day one and still does". Meaning that anyone with braking issues might have gotten a bad lot of brake pads. It happens often, we had a bad lot of aftermarket brake pads at the county that caused our vehicles from our fleet who received the pads to burn through them at a substantially increased rate let alone the stopping issues. Chargers mostly but some trucks and Durangos .
Or there may be air in the system. That's been documented by some owners who had the spongy brake issue, took it in for a brake fluid flush and refill, and the problem went away.
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