Long brake pedal travel, what gives

[zukinut]

Rebuilt the front and rear axle. Reman Toyota rear calipers and ceramic pads, with new centrics. I rebuilt the front calipers and have hawk hps pads there. Turned the factory front rotors.

There is no abs module and no lspv. I did that 3 years ago, and this is the third 80 that I've done that to.

The brakes work as they should,but the pedal travel is scary. They don't start working till the last couple inches of pedal travel.

Before this rebuild, the brake pedal was perfect. I only rebuilt everything because I had two trashed spindles and I was already there. The pass rear had a sticking caliper that wasn't long for this world.

I've bled the master, and the calipers multiple times, I had lots of air, but now can't seem to get any more air out. Just straight fluid.

Booster seems fine, and the master was replaced with a non abs aisin when I ditched the abs and Lspv. I also replaced all the rubber lines then. That was 3 years ago. They seem fine and the fluid isn't black.

Could it be the turned rotors. Could the master be bypassing? Have I just lost my touch? Is my rig possessed?

I'm at wits end.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Will

 

[dogfishlake]

Interesting. The travel acts like you have too much piston retraction, but don't know why. Also, in my experience, poor or no rear braking will extend pedal travel dramatically. If you can't lock those rears up (especially on dirt) first with no lspv, I'd look there first.

 

[zukinut]

I've got the manual adjuster turned a 1/4 turn before lock up. Like I adjust them to lock on fairly hard braking, and then back off till it takes a panic to lock them. It's worked on 3 different 80s and my buggy.

 

[zukinut]

Also, while driving, I can't get them to pump up to a hard pedal with shorter travel.

 

[ajax1]

Sounds like bad master if you did the two person brake bleed one pumps while the other opens the calipers you might have pushed to far and killed it

 

[zukinut]

Yea, That's what I was thinking. Was just hoping that no one else said it.

 

[zukinut]

Btw, I bled the master and it did have air, but I'm fairly sure it all got out.


When bleeding, the pedal gets Rock hard at the top of the stroke. But as soon as it sits for a few, it is taken on a test drive it goes back to excess travel

 

[musthave]

If you bled the brakes even halfway right you’d not have that much travel. In the end I’d put my money on the brake booster. It needs to be replaced after 20 years anyways.

 

[musthave]

In fact if I were a betting man I’d bet at least a case or five of beer that it’s the brake booster.

 

[zukinut]

I'm betting it's the master. I base that in the fact that my wife was damn facebooking when I was bleeding the brakes and I know it got overstroked at least once.

Also because at idle if I quickly pump the brakes, they will pump up hard for a very brief second and then go back to doing the long stroke thing. I drive it about 20 miles tonight. They can't be pumped up while driving it.

However, I've been wrong on plenty of occasions before.

 

[LS1FJ40]

My money is on the brake booster as well. Same exact symptoms I had on my 92 80 series. On my 92 80 series it was the brake booster. Swapped it out and no problems since.

Interestingly I had a similar issue with my 89 70 series with the CLUTCH. I thought it was the master or slave. Two person bled. Thought I killed the master. Then realized there was a clutch booster to make the clutch easier to push. Bypassed the clutch booster and never had any issues after.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

You guys that changed your booster did you go new OEM or reman'd?

 

[zukinut]

Even though it worked just fine before I redid brake parts and then as soon as I was finished it died?

 

[LS1FJ40]

I purchased a Cardone one from RockAuto about 5-6 years ago. IIRC the OEM booster was $500 or something insane. The Cardone one was $80.

 

[LS1FJ40]

Even though it worked just fine before I redid brake parts and then as soon as I was finished it died?

One way to find out...

It's always good to have a spare master and a spare brake booster...

 

[jefferson-mo]

Hate to ask stupid questions and it seems like you have plenty of experience but.......................


could the rear calipers be on the wrong side/upside down? If the bleeders are on the bottom you'll never get all the air out

 

[shocktower]

I think it sounds like air in the system

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I have seen lots of guys struggle getting the air out using the pump and dump method on an 80 series. I have always had great luck using a vacuum pump to bleed and you dont need help.

 

[nukegoat]

A bad booster would result in a hard pedal and weak brakes.

 

[zukinut]

The calipers are on the correct sides. I was hoping I was that dumb when I first noticed the problem.

I have a power bleeder. I've never had any luck with it tho. I'll try it again.