Hey everyone. I've been using the knowledge on this forum for years for my truck, but I'm stuck. I've gone thru 42 pages of search result for "breaks" and I'm stuck

2001 dodge RAM 1500 Laramie SLT
4X4, 5.9 V8 230XXX Miles.

Here's my story.
Last year I let the breaks go to far, blew the passenger side caliper. Since the u joints were also bad, the truck go parked until I had money to take care of things.

2 weeks ago I replaced:
Front axel shaft u-joints
Both hub assemblies
Both calipers
Both rotors and pads
And a few feet of breakline

Bled the system in the proper order like I've done before with some help from the drivers seat. All the old.fluid flushed out completely from the system. Pedal got tight, go to road test, pedal sinks to the floor and I roll into the nieghbors yard. Alright, must still be air in the system. Rebleed. Same deal. Truck off no problems. Truck on, pedal goes to the floor. Have rebleed 6 times, vacuum bled twice. I'm getting no air, just clean clear fluid.

Have since replaced:
Master cylinder
Booster
Vacuum hose
Booster check valve

No change. Pedal sinks to the floor with truck on. I have good vacuum in the booster.

Did some more digging on here and found a few people talking about the RWAL system. So I'm headed to the local pull a part to grab a "new" solonoid, and the brain it plugs into.

Where I'm stuck:
Feeling pretty defeated at this point. If the junk yard part doesn't work, where the heck can buy a new one?
Is there a way to bypass the entire RWAL system
And finally....

Anyone have any other ideas of what wrong?


Picture of what was left of the rotor, wife said "there's a lil noise from the front end"

 

But the fins shed heat REALLY well.

Before you spend more money on parts that you likely don't need.... Rebleed the system one more time. Park your helper in the drivers seat, have helper pump up the brakes three times, and HOLD. You crack open the bleeder. (right rear, left rear, right front, left front....) Do that at least three times at each wheel. I bet you still get some more air.

 

Yeah that's what I told her. And the flapping u joints were like playing cards in bike spokes.

And I've done that method of bleeding, no exaggeration, 3x on each wheel each time, 5 times. No dice.

 

Can you pump up the brakes with the engine running?

 

Also, might want to search for "brakes."

 

@dbbd1 that's what I ment,

@heyyou notnreally. If I pump 5 or 6 times it gets a little stiffer, but then the pedal sinks to the floor when I try to hold it in.

 

Ah. Ok, that is likely a different problem. Have a look at the brake line going to the rear brakes. It just loves to rust out and break where it runs past the gas tank. (where it is darn near impossible to see, and the fluid can accumulate for a while, before it actually makes it to the ground.)

The vacuum assist applies a LOT more force to the master than you can with just your foot. So, some problems only show up with engine running.

 

No fluid loss, break line to the real is brand new from the preportioner back to the rear axel and front lines are new from the preportioner to the split and out to each caliper, including the rubbed lines at the steering knuckle. I forgot to put that in my parts list.

 

Sinking pedal indicates you are losing pressure somewhere...... Have you looked at the rear brakes? Wheel cylinders maybe?

 

Your pressure differential/combination valve is pushed to one side...maybe. You're getting fluid out of front and back? The RWAL solenoid valve shouldn't need bleeding. If it were 4 wheel, now that would be a different story.


Is the RED brake light on?


I wonder if your master cylinder seals are trashed. Or even the wrong one entirely.


I know this is a stupid question, but are your bleeders on TOP in the front?