Are the brakes on this thing just terribly poor...or do I have a problem?
I have a new to me 2009 FWD with 20s, 70,000 miles (grandma's car)... and these brakes are absolutely terrible. In the past I replaced her rotors and pads once because she had issues with squeaking (now has Akebono ceramics at all 4 corners), but no other work because of the low miles.
Recently the car became mine and I heard the booster hissing / very hard to push pedal. Diaphragm gone... so as long as I was in there, I replaced the master cylinder. Vacuum bled the fluid (complete change out - 2 quarts), used a scan tool to cycle the ABS...no air in the system.
Now, even when I stand on the brakes, I can barely get the front wheel ABS to activate. The pedal has what I feel is an excessive amount of travel before getting deceleration (was the same before the parts change), and even with hard application, braking seems weak.
Has anyone chased "soft brakes" in these things before? Are the FORD (yes, FoMoCo all over the brakes and 3.7 engine) brakes just undersized with this vehicle and the 20 inch rims? Change to semi-metallic pads?
Racking my brain.
Thanks
Tony
I have a new to me 2009 FWD with 20s, 70,000 miles (grandma's car)... and these brakes are absolutely terrible. In the past I replaced her rotors and pads once because she had issues with squeaking (now has Akebono ceramics at all 4 corners), but no other work because of the low miles.
Recently the car became mine and I heard the booster hissing / very hard to push pedal. Diaphragm gone... so as long as I was in there, I replaced the master cylinder. Vacuum bled the fluid (complete change out - 2 quarts), used a scan tool to cycle the ABS...no air in the system.
Now, even when I stand on the brakes, I can barely get the front wheel ABS to activate. The pedal has what I feel is an excessive amount of travel before getting deceleration (was the same before the parts change), and even with hard application, braking seems weak.
Has anyone chased "soft brakes" in these things before? Are the FORD (yes, FoMoCo all over the brakes and 3.7 engine) brakes just undersized with this vehicle and the 20 inch rims? Change to semi-metallic pads?
Racking my brain.
Thanks
Tony