brakes are squishy after replacement

cvcsmkr

Donating Member
ok put on the ssbc calipers w/ new braided stainless steel lines.
stock drums in the rear.
truck cant hold a boost launch.
and im getting some pedal fading at high speeds.
ive bleed them twice no air came out the second time.
pads are good.
no abs.
thanks
 
Last edited:

gmcturbo

Active member
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

try doing an abs stop then re bleed. also adjust the rears up nice and tight (helps alot with the launch)
 

cvcsmkr

Donating Member
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

kreepinty said:
try doing an abs stop then re bleed. also adjust the rears up nice and tight (helps alot with the launch)

i have hoods abs delete kit.
it held an 8 lb launch with the stock front calipers and rears as they sit.
its not holding good since the front caliper and braided line install.
 

Black Knight

I Glow Therefore I am
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

Then by the sounds of it you either still have air in the lines even though you have bleed them multiple times ( how did you bleed them? With a extra person on the brake pedal, gravity bleed, or use a R2 unit? ) or you have a bad caliper ( are they new or remanufactured, yes they can be junk right out of the box )

Unless your master cylinder is going bad and bleeding fluid into the power brake booster. When you sit there and have your foot on the brake pedal does it slowly sink down or will it hold pressure?
 

91blazins10

Active member
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

I have the ssbc calipers and braided ss lines on my ty and I also have the abs delete kit, I had to bleed them 4 or 5 times to get a firm pedal. Also make sure your bleeding them from the top bleeder screw and not the bottom one.
 

cvcsmkr

Donating Member
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

Black Knight said:
Then by the sounds of it you either still have air in the lines even though you have bleed them multiple times ( how did you bleed them? With a extra person on the brake pedal, gravity bleed, or use a R2 unit? ) or you have a bad caliper ( are they new or remanufactured, yes they can be junk right out of the box )

Unless your master cylinder is going bad and bleeding fluid into the power brake booster. When you sit there and have your foot on the brake pedal does it slowly sink down or will it hold pressure?

i bled them with this "one man bleeder" from parts store.
small cup with tube inside to not allow air back into lines.

how will i know if master cylinder is bad?
pedal does not go down at all, its very firm.
 

cvcsmkr

Donating Member
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

91blazins10 said:
I have the ssbc calipers and braided ss lines on my ty and I also have the abs delete kit, I had to bleed them 4 or 5 times to get a firm pedal. Also make sure your bleeding them from the top bleeder screw and not the bottom one.

4 or 5 times, wow.
okay i guess ill bleed them a few more times and see what happens.
thanks
 

Black Knight

I Glow Therefore I am
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

If your pedal is staying firm and high and not bleeding off then your master is OK, if it were bleeding down when you had it depressed is when there is a problem, usually the fluid leaks past the seal and into the booster.

If your still having trouble with it after you bleed it again you could either take it to a shop that has a special unit ( the name escapes me we always called it R2 because it looks like R2 ) which hooks to your master and presurises the system so as to not allow any air in and force the air out, might cost like $45 ish. Or the old tried and true 2 person method. One pumps the brakes up 3-4 times and then the other opens the lines one at a time as to let the fluid out. Its good practice to start at the rear first and work your way to the front, there is a specific bleeding sequence for every vehical on the road but i've never had any trouble just doing the back first, then the front. Make sure that as you open the bleeder the other person doesn't lift their foot until you close the bleeder again as to not let any air back in. You may know and understand all this I was just trying to be more in depth just in case.

I can't picture a ssbc caliper, but why would it have a bleeder on the bottom?? It would only lead me to believe the caliper was upside down.
 

91blazins10

Active member
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

Black Knight said:
I can't picture a ssbc caliper, but why would it have a bleeder on the bottom?? It would only lead me to believe the caliper was upside down.

I guess its made that way for a universal setup..so it doesnt matter what wheel the caliper goes on.
 

Black Knight

I Glow Therefore I am
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

Good to know, is there a definition for ssbc or is that just what they call them?
 

cvcsmkr

Donating Member
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

Black Knight said:
If your pedal is staying firm and high and not bleeding off then your master is OK, if it were bleeding down when you had it depressed is when there is a problem, usually the fluid leaks past the seal and into the booster.

If your still having trouble with it after you bleed it again you could either take it to a shop that has a special unit ( the name escapes me we always called it R2 because it looks like R2 ) which hooks to your master and presurises the system so as to not allow any air in and force the air out, might cost like $45 ish. Or the old tried and true 2 person method. One pumps the brakes up 3-4 times and then the other opens the lines one at a time as to let the fluid out. Its good practice to start at the rear first and work your way to the front, there is a specific bleeding sequence for every vehical on the road but i've never had any trouble just doing the back first, then the front. Make sure that as you open the bleeder the other person doesn't lift their foot until you close the bleeder again as to not let any air back in. You may know and understand all this I was just trying to be more in depth just in case.

I can't picture a ssbc caliper, but why would it have a bleeder on the bottom?? It would only lead me to believe the caliper was upside down.

thanks i really appreciate all that.
ill be giving it a shot this weekend, when i can get a second hand.
 

Black Knight

I Glow Therefore I am
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

No problem :tup: !!!
If you have any more questions no matter how trival please post.
No matter how fast your truck is, it don't mean anything if it wont stop :tdown:!!!
 

91blazins10

Active member
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

another thing I thought of did you use the pads that came with the ssbc kit?
 

cvcsmkr

Donating Member
Re: brakes are squishy after replacement

91blazins10 said:
another thing I thought of did you use the pads that came with the ssbc kit?

i bought my calipers used, they didnt come with the pads.
i emailed ssbc they gave me a FMSI # for replacement pads, i thought it was something special, but they turned out to be same style pads i already had.
so i re-used my super great pads that were on the old calipers.

i did find a vac leak, and brakes "feel" better.
but i am going to go ahead and bleed brakes a couple more times, its still pushing thru boost launches.
ill update after i bleed some more.
 
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