If you pinch these lines, you will certainly damage them and it will be a catastrophic failure waiting to happen.

 

That's how the self adjusters are supposed to work.... whether it actually happens that way or not is open to question.

 

Hey guys, I did some more homework, the rear adjusters are set up correctly, the rear drums aren't cracked or broken that would allow the shoes to expand too much, the rubber brake lines are ok, there is no air in the system, the front pads and rotors are new, the front spindles are smooth and allow the pads to move ok. The brake pedal is hard when the truck is shut off and doesn't pump up, if the truck is running the pedal is soft, goes almost to the floor and doesn't pump up then either, the brakes won't stop too bad but are real low and soft so I don't like it. BUT the ABS light doesn't go on when I start the truck, the brake light isn't on. There is a braket under the master cylinder that holds half a dozen wires and 2 solenoid valves for the ABS system, these don't appear to be working, I'll check them out next and let you know.

 

Begins to sound like time for a new master cylinder. See any evidence of fluid running down the booster underneath it? Any brake fluid in the vacuum line to the booster?

 

I had a Car with soft pedal because one of the rear wheel cylinder is bad, and the other shop installed 2 master cylinder and didn't fix the problem. Without using this method to isolate the problem, he's just throw hundreds and hundred of dollar without fixing the problem.

according to his description, this could be the problem. If there is a better way to isolate to a single component in the brake system, I would like to know.

But since brake feels rock solid without engine running, I got a feeling he might have some crappy brake pads (like Raybesto) that just feels that way. Pinch the front brake line, see if pedal becomes harder. or you can remove the caliper, and jam a piece of solid metal in place of the brake pads and rotor.