What is the brake pedal doing when you apply pressure? Is it just spongy or does the pedal go to the floor?

 

actually the break pedal is firm...but I'm still getting more air than I deem is proper... I last "tested" drove the van last week.. when I first started driving and breaking the breaks worked great... but then after a couple more tries the van pulls to the left rather hard.... the reason I did all this work was because of this..the difference is that prior to working on it the pull was inconsistent and violent...I've been working on this thing since Monday the 6th... NOTHING has ever been so frustrating... THANKS for any help you might offer.. Ed

 

If the pedal is firm then there is no air in the brake lines. Pulling to one side or the other indicates a stuck or inoperative brake caliper. Pulling to the left means the right side brake isn't working.

 

Alloro... THANKS for your comments...I replaced both front calipers... somehow air is getting into the system... after 5 gallons of fluid there should be no air...???? so I guess I'll spend another day bleeding brakes... I purchased a power bleeder but alas, it arrived broken...I'm at the end of my rope... Ed

 

Check the new calipers, the air bleed holes should be up top. I've seen people install the left one on the right side and the right one on the left side. They will fit that way but the bleeder screw ends up at the bottom so the air won't come out.

 

wow

 

I just ran over 2 quarts through my brakes as I replaced my calipers.

The rears, the micro bubbles were never ending.

I got some teflon tape and backed off the bleeder enough to get it on the threads. Then, no more bubbles.

One would think that pumping the pedal would push fluid out past the threads, but somehow the stream of brake fluid was drawing in air past the threads and out the clear hose.

Now if you let the master cylinder go dry, you will never get all the bubbles out until it is bench bled and reinstalled.

I used Hawk HPS pads this time, on Newish Brembo rotors. By far the best braking power this Van has ever had.

 

I've encountered this myself on Dodge trucks and vehicles in high humidity climates. A vacuum bleeder and just cracking the bleeder valves open a hair normally works.

Failing that, coat the outside thread portion of the bleeder valve with black moly bearing grease will stop them from sucking air past the threads. I learned this trick from a mechanic older than me: he told me sometimes you have to remove them and coat the threads on very old vehicles but I've never actually had to go that far.. anyway, just a little grease applied around outside edge of the bleeder valve has worked for me time and time again.

 

I also had to use a vacuum pump to bleed my brakes after wasting a few quarts. If it's an older van do you have the rubber bands for your calipers? They will be mighty noisy on bumpy roads if you do not.
Cheers, Steve

 

I'd never used the rubber bands before. I'd always saw them as likely to cause binding upon releasing and brake drag.

My last set of pads wore badly, they tapered toward the front.

When I put a straight edge on the Ways where the caliper rests and slides, I saw it was nowhere near flat, and where the inner pad rested on the ways, was worn and lower.

I used a file to make it perfectly flat, then wet sanded with 220, 320 and 600 grit sandpaper. The newly remanufactured calipers from Napa were painted and a straight edge revealed the paint was not flat where the caliper would rest, So I filed these surfaces flat and wet sanded them smooth. The New Hawk pads I bought were also painted and got similar treatment to remove any sharp edges and reduce chances of binding.

I used some permatex hi temp brake grease liberally on the ways and rubber bands, and the calipers slid in their ways as smooth as hot butter on a hot skillet.

The Hawk HPS pads are $$, but their stopping power is profound, when asked for, and still have nice manners when driving normally.

The rubber bands offered in the caliper retaining kits are extremely strong. i have one stretched fully in another task where it has seen UV light for 2 years, and it is still in place and in good condition whereas regular rubber bands in the same duty cracked and disappeared within two months.

Best part of my new brakes, is there is no more rattling hitting small bumps because of the rubber bands, and I am not sure I would have used them without SteveR's report, So I thank you for your ride report.