Hard Brakes

[GJM85]

My brakes have been gradually getting softer over the past week so I decided to drain the lines and fill it with fresh fluid.

This is the mud that came out.

 

I filled it all back up with Response Super Dot 4 and bled it the usual way.

The pedal is now rock solid. It brakes as it should but me thinks this stiff pedal ain't right.

 

Does anyone know why this could be?

[It's_AUDM_Yo]

I would flush fluid threw it a few times to see if any more stuff like that comes out.

[B.L.Z.BUB]

Probably you are so used to the shitty fluid that normal brake firmness just feels weird?

EDIT: Did you put something under the pedal when pumping? So you didnt pump to the floor.

Edited September 28, 2012 by B.L.Z.BUB

[GJM85]

Probably you are so used to the shitty fluid that normal brake firmness just feels weird?

EDIT: Did you put something under the pedal when pumping? So you didnt pump to the floor.

 

Nope. Nothing under the pedal. Does this prevent the high stiff pedal?

Edited September 28, 2012 by GJM85

[rian]

Wheel cylinders or caliper pistons are probably siezed, brake fluid absorbs water over time and causes the pistons to rust until they sieze. The fluid that came out is most likely saturated with water.

 

Edit: maybe you just need to readjust the master cylinder pushrod?

Edited September 28, 2012 by rian

[GJM85]

Everything is pretty much new as of just over a year ago. It all seems ok I hope.

[B.L.Z.BUB]

If your pedal was getting softer over time I'm going with a buggered master cylinder.

[GJM85]

Might be time to look at a replacement maybe. Still scratching my head over what would have done that to the brake fluid though.

[B.L.Z.BUB]

Maybe try the block of wood under the pedal so it only goes half way first, if it costs a $5 bottle of fluid so be it. The pedal should be firm but the block should make it so there is some pedal travel before it starts to bite.

 

I hate brake problems. Not looking forward to sorting my new system out.

Edited September 28, 2012 by B.L.Z.BUB

[GJM85]

Yeah man. Not much more stressful than wondering if your going straight though the next red light or not.

[B.L.Z.BUB]

Did you bleed from furthest brake to closest?

[GJM85]

Sure did.

[altezzaclub]

My brakes have been gradually getting softer over the past week

 

That's a very short time for a brake problem to occur, its virtually instantaneous in the 5 or 10year life of brake cylinders. I'm amazed that bleeding them fixed it, or has it masked the problem temporarily? Has it got a booster??

 

Look under the dashboard and see if there is any fluid coming back out of the brake actuation rod on the pedal, and check under the bonnet on the firewall around the m'cyl. It may have been leaking fluid out past the seals. If its got a booster then that may be filling up with fluid from dud seals.

 

I can't understand why it got hard if you just bled it, unless its as blzbub says and its just compared to a low soft pedal.

[AidoKsev]

This could be due to the new fluid being Dot 4, all Toyota's (should) have dot 3 fluid, and although it should only be a difference in boiling point between the grades, the rubbers inside the cylinders can swell and cause a crap pedal. You might be able to pick up a bottle of genuine Toyota Dot 3 fluid at a Toyota dealership if you're keen

Edited September 28, 2012 by AidoKsev

[Trev]

This could be due to the new fluid being Dot 4, all Toyota's (should) have dot 3 fluid, and although it should only be a difference in boiling point between the grades, the rubbers inside the cylinders can swell and cause a crap pedal. You might be able to pick up a bottle of genuine Toyota Dot 3 fluid at a Toyota dealership if you're keen

 

This.

 

I also do not pump bleed brakes, I have an airboy brake fluid extractor you can borrow if you wish.