Brake problems

[kenjad96]

I have a 1996 C1500, JB5 brakes, and the EBC310 ABS module, I've been, as the title states, a brake problem. It all started after I replaced my rear wheel cylinders, hardware, shoes, and drums. Shortly after, my brakes went to the floor, and my brake warning light would turn on. I then replaced my master cyl, and brake booster. I went with an ACDELCO master cyl that I bench bled before installing, and a new cardone brake booster, do to not being able to find an ACDELCO one anywhere. After replacing those, I bled the brakes, and they were the most firm I'd ever felt them. Shortly after, I noticed the pedal getting softer and softer, and then noticed that the pedal wouldn't return back to the top of its stroke, and would even keep the brakes dragging, so I'd have to pull the pedal back up with my foot to disengage them. I then went and warrantied out the master cyl and booster again, thinking that that was the issue. Same problem came back shortly after, so I had one of my friends who is a mechanic at a local Toyota dealership double check all of my work, including rear brakes, and the master/booster. He had found that I hadn't adjusted the rear drums properly, and that one of the wheel cyls had over extended, so he took apart the drums, replaced both wheel cyls, put it all back together, then we bled the brakes, adjusted the drums properly, then test drove it for atleast an hour. The brakes felt good, felt confident that we had found the issue. Then, 2 days later, the pedal started to get stuck down again, needing to get pulled back up with my foot, to fully disengage the brakes. They weren't locking up, but they were dragging, and you could feel it while driving. Then, today, I drove it to the store, and the brakes were getting spongy again. He and I have no idea what the issue could possibly be. Iv'e done so much research both on other threads on this site, and other forums, but can't seem to find anyone having the sticking pedal like I do, only the spongy brakes. I'm wondering if anyone here has had the pedal sticking issue, along with the spongy brakes that could take some time out of their day to give some advice, Thank you.

 

[Schurkey]

1. Are the park brake cables in good condition?
2. Do you USE the park brake frequently?

The park brake is what keeps the crappy, junk 254mm (10") leading-trailing shoe rear brakes in adjustment.

Did you bleed the brakes using a scan tool to auto-bleed the ABS? Air can be trapped in the ABS and nothing will remove it until the solenoid valves are chattered. That moves the air out of the ABS and into the regular brake plumbing--so you have to bleed the brakes at the calipers/wheel cylinders to get the air out of the brake plumbing.

Make sure the brake light switch isn't hanging up or interfering with the pedal movement.

How long has it been since you repacked and adjusted the front wheel bearings?

 

[Erik the Awful]

What do your brake hoses look like? What about the hose from the frame to the rear axle?