Breaks are not working can you help????

[charlierminter]

I am new to the forum but, been a Toyota lover since the first time I saw one pull out a Ford. “little hearts popping around my head” sigh….

Now down to business.

Thursday, I noticed that my break peddle was needing to be pushed farther down than normal. Seemed like it would stick for a second in the middle and then the bottom would fall out of it and it would go to the floor. The truck would stop but, it took some doing.

As a plan b, I thought I better move all the crap from around my e-break just in case. At the stop light, I pulled it up to test it and….. nothing!
My e-break is gone too.

So Sunday I put new pads all around, purged the system and tried again. No luck.

Read more and figured it was the master cylinder. Today, I replaced it. Nothing! Still the same.

So any ideas? Break booster?

Would break booster cause e-break to fail?

Any advice would be great. I have looked all over and can’t seem to find any information on break boosters. So, sorry if I’m reasking.

 

[charlierminter]

Also, when I pump the breaks, they are firm for a second and then start going down to the floor.

 

[fourwd1]

Also, when I pump the breaks, they are firm for a second and then start going down to the floor.

That sounds like a bad MC (internal leak).

Break booster?

Would break booster cause e-break to fail?

No, bad booster just means more pedal pressure required.

And they're brakes, not breaks.

 

[rook]

what year 4Runner?

newer model brake systems are completely different.

I think the e-brake and pedal problems are separate.

 

[charlierminter]

Ok Fourwd1, thanks for the spell check bro. didn’t realize we were going to be graded on spelling. I had replaced the MC so, that wasn’t it. But good guess, everything pointed to that.

As for the problem, I have fixed it and thought I would post the fix for anyone else who runs into this problem. The issue was the back driver side drum brakes. The little metal tap that ratchets the breaks tight automatically was busted. (sorry teach, don’t know the official name, don’t ding me to bad. This allowed the driver side to get way out of adjustment. I figure that the fluid was all going to the back and nothing was left for the front.

Either way, by adjusting the back breaks, it fixed the problem. I just didn’t look at that side when I started. I looked at the passenger side and it was great so, I didn’t bother with the driver side. Poor judgment on my part.

The E-break was the give away, I just didn’t understand how it all functioned. The e-break was loose because the back was out of adjustment.

Rook, I have a 96 4runner, 4wd. SR5.

Thanks for the ideas, This one had a lot of people stumped. I hope this helps someone else down the road.

 

[charlierminter]

Here is a cool Pic. for all your work.

 

[fourwd1]

Glad you got it fixed.

The little metal tap that ratchets the breaks tight automatically was busted.

I think you're talking about the auto adjuster, which works in conjunction with the e-brake, which all makes sense.

 

[wolfgang]

Oh no - Broke Breaks! Ur brakin me up.