Hi, I own a 2001 DRV 3500 5.9L Extended.

Getting older now I hire a mobile mechanic for some jobs. I recently hired him to do a brake system overhaul replacing front rubber soft lines, front calipers and disc pads and rear brake cylinders. The rear shoes were good. My brake pedal was "mushy" after all that so I had him come back and we bled all 4 wheels again and still mushy.

I researched adjusting the brake pedal height but found nothing in the huge factory service manual I have for my specific year and model. What I did find is that I think we bled the brakes incorrectly. He had me pump the pedal 5 times and hold it down after which he would loosen the bleed screw. The pedal would go to the floor and he would tighten the bleed screw.

The manual says do not pump brake pedal during this process, that it would introduce small bubbles of air into the lines. Does this sound like that could be the cause of my mushy pedal?

The manual also said to attach a bleeder hose to each bleeder screw and capture the fluid in a jar that already had some fresh fluid in it. I think I understand why one would do that but would like to ask if that's really an important part of keeping the air out of the lines?

thanks very much in advance.

 

You guys used the same bleeding method I generally do, when I do major brake work. The service manual doesn't want you pumping the brakes while the bleeder valve is open.... as that WILL suck in air.

The point at which pushing the pedal actually starts to have an effect on your speed though, is a function of rear brake adjustment. If they are sloppy, you get to push the pedal a good distance before the brakes actually start doing anything. Assuming the adjusters aren't seized..... I like to adjust them so the shoes are just starting to rub on the drums..... Step on the pedal a couple times, check 'em again. When you have it set where you want it with that method, back up relatively quickly, and then step HARD on the brakes a couple times to finalize adjustment. Then see how your pedal feels. If it still feels like stepping on a rubber ball, then there is still air in the lines somewhere.....

 

Thank you yet again HeyYou. I do understand what you have told me and glad the mobile mechanic I use wasn't doing something sloppy- his prices are really good and I want to keep using him. So will adjust the rear brakes as you suggest.

Like you I try to help others on a Workers Comp Forum with my long experience in that system. But you never know how much you may actually have helped.

I've been getting good advice that often proves to be spot on from this site mostly from you and Alloro but others also. What you don't know is how much that has meant in my life. In the last 5 years I've had to live in my van for extended times while fighting Work Comp for benefits. I didn't just survive until the benefits came in but thrived. I travelled across the US twice and on one trip met who would become the woman who changed my life (for the better).

Many times your advice has come through. Once I was stuck in a rest area for a week not knowing it was my ignition switch until your advice and many many other times I was able to fix my van on the road and keep on rolling.

I look back now and realize I never would have had the confidence in my van or the money I saved by not having to go to a shop which both allowed me to make my life altering travels.

Anyway just wanted you to know and I'm sure many others feel the same.

When I say "Thank You" you couldn't know how much I mean it.

 

You are welcome.

And THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your kind words.

 

Same here, as always, I appreciate the honorable mention.

 

Yep- Rear brake adjustment did the trick.
thsnks

 

Gotta love the easy ones.

 

Excuse me but like "Columbo" just one more question.

So the mobile mechanic I hired opened up the rear brakes shoes outward and that gave me the solid pedal at the good height I was looking for.

On both rear wheels he had a bit of a tough time getting the drums back on kicking them with his feet and rapping pretty good with a small hand sledge. I asked if that might be too tight a fit and he said it shouldn't be. He puts all back together and I do my back ups with hard brake stomps to get everything in place.

A test ride around the block and when I slow way down while still moving forward I put the van in neutral to "feel" how it comes to rest. There just the slightest drag I feel right at the end when forward motion stops. I know my van and before the adjustment it would have rolled a little bit further. From full stop on flat asphalt it does start to slowly roll forward on its own when put in drive from neutral without depressing the gas pedal. A couple miles drive at highway speed and no heat buildup either. I should mention that these are not new brake shoes in the rear. They still had pad left.

Should I have the rear brakes adjusted back in a little bit or do you agree with my mechanic that the tiny bit of friction should resolve on its own?

To save posting again I also ask "just one more question". When my mechanic did the front soft lines, calipers and disc pads I asked him to check the wheel bearings which had plenty of grease. With the wheels off the ground I was surprised how little the wheel rotated after he spun it with his hands. I did it myself and with a pretty decent shove the wheel would only spin about 1 full turn. He said that was normal- is it? Maybe I'm just used to the spin of a much smaller regular car wheel. Still no overheating of the hub or chatter and he did check the bearings by pushing and pulling the top and bottom of the wheel which didn't cause much movement.


Thanks

 

You actually WANT that little bit of friction.

I usually adjust the rears with the drums ON though. The way the shoes sit, you end up with a little bit of a ridge on edge, and with the shoes adjusted 'tight', that makes taking the drum off, or... putting it back on, problematic. That's what those little windows at the bottom of the backing plate are for. So you can get your brake adjusting spoon in there.

You are good to go.

 

Thanks, makes sense.