Brake issue, need help!

Well I changed both lower ball joints and still have the same issue.

I've desited to change the brake booster now.
But I would like to know, is there any way to test it to make sure its bad?
 
I am talking about the Strut rod bushings, they are responsible for holding the lower control arms square to the chassis, and if they are shot will definitely cause problems in braking and wheel alignment.
 
smokin' rear brake situation

smokin' rear brake situation

I noticed that recent brake work was mentioned in the original posting on this thread..After reading about the rear pads smoking, I have a couple of suggestions, in case you haven't solved the problem yet..
If your (rear) caliper bolts are not frozen or seized up in the bores within the calipers, and the caliper went back in fairly easy with the new pads in place, then you must have had the pistons fully backed off (rotated in all the way) but if it required a lot of force to get the calipers remounted, there are a couple of things I would check out : were the pistons pushed in completely in? (and) will the parking brake cables slide freely when operated?
Since the parking brake is seldom used on most cars, corrosion can make it seize back where the braided metal cable enters the tubing. This probably happens most on cars exposed to road salt, but is possible on any of them.
The result is that your pads will constantly drag, causing the hot brake situation..
Also, when the car pulls to one side as brakes are applied, do you feel a tug in the steering wheel? If so, then that will conclusively indicate there's attention needed with the front brakes, also.
If any one else has any additional input on this, feel free to let us know.
Lead Foot
Crazy 'bout my ol' Mark 8s
 
ok, dont laugh, but im actually a Just Brakes certified Safety Expert, i worked there for about 3 years, so i KNOW my brakes and susspension/steering very well, we have extensive tests on it...
a "pulling" while braking and then correcting when letting off of the brake can be caused by several different things, the hydraulic caliper, caliper guide hardware, bearings, brake hoses with inner cracks causing "flapper" valves, and ball joints, the easiest way to check for ball joint wear is to jack the front of the car up, grip the top and bottom of the tire and check by camber pulling on the tire back and forth, there should be very very light or no play in this check, next spin the tire while holding the lower control arm as bearing vibration can be felt best at this point, remove wheel and check hoses for cracks..if there is ANY visible cracking in the hose replace immediatly, next remove the lower bolt on the caliper and flip caliper uppward allowing quick removal of the pads, hold inner and outter pad together to check them for universal wear, both pads should be same thickness from top to bottom, and also from left whel and right wheel, all pads should be same thickness, if inner pad is worn more than outter you have a binding caliper or bad hose, if outter pad is worn more than inner you have binding hardware * in which most can be just lubed with proper brake hardware lubricants*, if there is a diagonal wear it can still be due to the hardware sticking, only in this case the top, or bottom, is binding more than its mate, if caliper is binding it can be easily rebuilt with a square cut seal and dust boot kit, youll need a drill with a wire brush that fits the diameter of the piston bore hole, and use brake fluid to lubricate the bristles, simply blow out the piston either by removing from vehicle and using air ( if you choose this option youll need to wad a couple rags into the area where the pads fit as the air compressor will launch that piston out..so dampen the blow, and hold caliper with pad side downward on the ground or table, insert air blow tool into the hole where the hose fits, and blow), or by making sure that this is the only caliper unbolted, and push the brake pedal until the piston falls out, use hose clamps to retain leakage from the hose, remove caliper, clean piston and caliper of rust and rebuild *remember, use brake fluid ONLY as lube, this will help in getting the piston to slide back into the bore hole with the new seal in place) replace new dust boot into grooves, pocket sized screw drivers will aid in this step, use NEW copper bushings for the replacement of the caliper to the hose, install new pads, lube hardware and repeat on other side as brakes should always be done in PAIRS, once all back together, bleed the entire system, start bleeding procedures in sequence at right rear, left rear, right front, left front, i recommend doing it twice, make sure that there are NO bubbles, and that the fluid comes out clear. ( instructions on bleeding, with one person its a drip and watch *very slow* or 2 people, one applys slight pressure to the brake pedal as the "tech" opens the bleed valve on the TOP of the caliper *note the valves should be on the top, incase youve removed both calipers at the same time and installed on wrong side* have driver push pedal down *but not to floor as this can damage the inner seals of the master cylinder* as the valve is open to push the old fluid out, when driver stops and -holds- brake, close valve, driver pumps the brake until firm, reapply pressure, repeat until buddles are gone and fluid is clear, go to next wheel in sequence, hang tires and torque lug nuts to 100ft lbs happy motoring and please drive safetly!!
 
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Brake Booster aids the the application of the brakes, there are several checks to determine if it is bad, one can be heard, if you press the brake with motor running youll hear air leak under dash at the pedal, second, with motor runnin, remove the vacuum hose from the side of the booster and cover end of hose to check for vacuum (if engine idles differently, or dies, with hose end covered as opposed to being on the booster, replace booster), fords are notorious for master cylinders leaking out the rear seal and into the booster, so make yourself a dip stick from a thin piece of paper and insert into vacuum hose inlet to bottom of inner booster, if no fluid on paper, no MC leak to booster. also check the 1 way valve on the vaccum hose by blowing thru in the air flow direction ( from motor to booster) ...this would be under the "hard pedal- slow to respond to braking" problem
 
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also note that when installing new brake pads, the rotors should always be remachined for staightness, and so that the new pads have a mating surface, not machining or replacing rotors ( if neccessary) can cause squeeking and pour braking distance, also vibrations or pulsing while braking due to lateral runout or glazed surfaces, if there are small cracks in the surface of the rotor-replace, all rotors have a minimum thickness which can be checked by the dealer specs stamped on the rotor and a micrometer
 
ok, dont laugh, but im actually a Just Brakes certified Safety Expert, i worked there for about 3 years, so i KNOW my brakes and susspension/steering very well, we have extensive tests on it...
a "pulling" while braking and then correcting when letting off of the brake can be caused by several different things, the hydraulic caliper, caliper guide hardware, bearings, brake hoses with inner cracks causing "flapper" valves, and ball joints, the easiest way to check for ball joint wear is to jack the front of the car up, grip the top and bottom of the tire and check by camber pulling on the tire back and forth, there should be very very light or no play in this check, next spin the tire while holding the lower control arm as bearing vibration can be felt best at this point, remove wheel and check hoses for cracks..if there is ANY visible cracking in the hose replace immediatly, next remove the lower bolt on the caliper and flip caliper uppward allowing quick removal of the pads, hold inner and outter pad together to check them for universal wear, both pads should be same thickness from top to bottom, and also from left whel and right wheel, all pads should be same thickness, if inner pad is worn more than outter you have a binding caliper or bad hose, if outter pad is worn more than inner you have binding hardware * in which most can be just lubed with proper brake hardware lubricants*, if there is a diagonal wear it can still be due to the hardware sticking, only in this case the top, or bottom, is binding more than its mate, if caliper is binding it can be easily rebuilt with a square cut seal and dust boot kit, youll need a drill with a wire brush that fits the diameter of the piston bore hole, and use brake fluid to lubricate the bristles, simply blow out the piston either by removing from vehicle and using air ( if you choose this option youll need to wad a couple rags into the area where the pads fit as the air compressor will launch that piston out..so dampen the blow, and hold caliper with pad side downward on the ground or table, insert air blow tool into the hole where the hose fits, and blow), or by making sure that this is the only caliper unbolted, and push the brake pedal until the piston falls out, use hose clamps to retain leakage from the hose, remove caliper, clean piston and caliper of rust and rebuild *remember, use brake fluid ONLY as lube, this will help in getting the piston to slide back into the bore hole with the new seal in place) replace new dust boot into grooves, pocket sized screw drivers will aid in this step, use NEW copper bushings for the replacement of the caliper to the hose, install new pads, lube hardware and repeat on other side as brakes should always be done in PAIRS, once all back together, bleed the entire system, start bleeding procedures in sequence at right rear, left rear, right front, left front, i recommend doing it twice, make sure that there are NO bubbles, and that the fluid comes out clear. ( instructions on bleeding, with one person its a drip and watch *very slow* or 2 people, one applys slight pressure to the brake pedal as the "tech" opens the bleed valve on the TOP of the caliper *note the valves should be on the top, incase youve removed both calipers at the same time and installed on wrong side* have driver push pedal down *but not to floor as this can damage the inner seals of the master cylinder* as the valve is open to push the old fluid out, when driver stops and -holds- brake, close valve, driver pumps the brake until firm, reapply pressure, repeat until buddles are gone and fluid is clear, go to next wheel in sequence, hang tires and torque lug nuts to 100ft lbs happy motoring and please drive safetly!!

All are potential problems, but the two issues that comprise about 98% of all 'brake pulling' issues on a Mark VIII are sticking/rusted caliper pins and worn, faulty strut rod bushings. Those would be the things to check first.
 
ok, dont laugh, but im actually a Just Brakes certified Safety Expert, i worked there for about 3 years, so i KNOW my brakes and susspension/steering very well, we have extensive tests on it...
a "pulling" while braking and then correcting when letting off of the brake can be caused by several different things, the hydraulic caliper, caliper guide hardware, bearings, brake hoses with inner cracks causing "flapper" valves, and ball joints, the easiest way to check for ball joint wear is to jack the front of the car up, grip the top and bottom of the tire and check by camber pulling on the tire back and forth, there should be very very light or no play in this check, next spin the tire while holding the lower control arm as bearing vibration can be felt best at this point, remove wheel and check hoses for cracks..if there is ANY visible cracking in the hose replace immediatly, next remove the lower bolt on the caliper and flip caliper uppward allowing quick removal of the pads, hold inner and outter pad together to check them for universal wear, both pads should be same thickness from top to bottom, and also from left whel and right wheel, all pads should be same thickness, if inner pad is worn more than outter you have a binding caliper or bad hose, if outter pad is worn more than inner you have binding hardware * in which most can be just lubed with proper brake hardware lubricants*, if there is a diagonal wear it can still be due to the hardware sticking, only in this case the top, or bottom, is binding more than its mate, if caliper is binding it can be easily rebuilt with a square cut seal and dust boot kit, youll need a drill with a wire brush that fits the diameter of the piston bore hole, and use brake fluid to lubricate the bristles, simply blow out the piston either by removing from vehicle and using air ( if you choose this option youll need to wad a couple rags into the area where the pads fit as the air compressor will launch that piston out..so dampen the blow, and hold caliper with pad side downward on the ground or table, insert air blow tool into the hole where the hose fits, and blow), or by making sure that this is the only caliper unbolted, and push the brake pedal until the piston falls out, use hose clamps to retain leakage from the hose, remove caliper, clean piston and caliper of rust and rebuild *remember, use brake fluid ONLY as lube, this will help in getting the piston to slide back into the bore hole with the new seal in place) replace new dust boot into grooves, pocket sized screw drivers will aid in this step, use NEW copper bushings for the replacement of the caliper to the hose, install new pads, lube hardware and repeat on other side as brakes should always be done in PAIRS, once all back together, bleed the entire system, start bleeding procedures in sequence at right rear, left rear, right front, left front, i recommend doing it twice, make sure that there are NO bubbles, and that the fluid comes out clear. ( instructions on bleeding, with one person its a drip and watch *very slow* or 2 people, one applys slight pressure to the brake pedal as the "tech" opens the bleed valve on the TOP of the caliper *note the valves should be on the top, incase youve removed both calipers at the same time and installed on wrong side* have driver push pedal down *but not to floor as this can damage the inner seals of the master cylinder* as the valve is open to push the old fluid out, when driver stops and -holds- brake, close valve, driver pumps the brake until firm, reapply pressure, repeat until buddles are gone and fluid is clear, go to next wheel in sequence, hang tires and torque lug nuts to 100ft lbs happy motoring and please drive safetly!!

All are potential problems, but the two issues that comprise about 98% of all 'brake pulling' issues on a Mark VIII are sticking/rusted caliper pins and worn, faulty strut rod bushings. Those would be the things to check first.
 
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BS

The ABS is only actuated as needed and isn't any cause for improper braking. The ABS only controls solenoids to control panic braking. It doesn't 'send' pressure, it only interrupts pressure.

But there could be a problem with the proportioning valve which controls the REAR brakes.

More likely the cause of any left/right pressure differences is the master cylinder. The master cylinder has primary and secondary systems as noted below.

the master cylinder only effects criss-cross systems, doing further research on this in my manuals i found that the Lincoln Mark VIII is indeed a criss cross system , so the bleeding sequence on this vehicle is as follows, Right rear, left front, left rear, right front..this can effect pressure from left to right in a normal braking procedure.
 
Well after further axamination of the problem and several of brake test I saw that after doing some braking at hight speeds i noticed that the stearing wheel would shake after high speed braking.
Also while doing all this testing I noticed that while the car is rolling a squeek came out of the front driver side wheel and whent away after aplaying the brake.
So I desided to Re do My front brakes AGAIN!!
New pads and rotors.

So after that I whent to test the car out and the pulling seems to be gone from 0-50mph and after that there is a slight pull still but not as bad.

I wont know if its fixed untill I drive it some more.

Could that had been the problem?

check and make sure that none of the caliper bracket hardware is dragging against the rotor and that the brake disk dust gaurd is in proper place for the squeek, and were the tips of the pads lubed a bit? also on caliper actuated E brakes, both are activated upon applying the e brake pedal, these types of calipers pistons screw into and out of the bore hole, im assuming that new pads were installed in the rear and that the piston was turned so that the grooves in the piston head line up with the pad "nippes" or else you wouldve had a very hard time getting them to fit when replacing the caliper over them
 
also are the tires in proper balance with a fresh alignment, need to know if this "pull" is only occuring during braking
 
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What manual are you using?
 
Just Brakes has a company manual that covers ALL brakes on all cars, as well as susspension and steering>> however some of it IS arguable, i didnt write, edit nor print it, im just the messenger, and im unarmed
also most of this information is just " 2nd nature" to me, ive been doing brake work like i said, for about 3 years on a daily basis.. and on a couple of these occasions when i didnt know..id drive my car on the rack and take it apart just to check it out
 
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