86 F250 Rear Brakes

[wolfman]

The rear brake line junction box mounted on the rear end housing of my 86 f250 has a lever attached to it. What is this for, and if it fails could it restrict the fluid flow to the rear brakes. I have replaced everything in my brake system and can still not get good rear brakes. Thanks for any help.

 

[Wanderer-rrorc]

is the lever connected to anything?? (load sensor)

get a pic of it...

I've had the same problem with 2 fords..my old f350 (92) cc 4x4 and my current 85 E250...I ended up after months of ****** with it...just put new calipers and hoses on the front...new pads too...new rubber line on the back..adjusted the shoes....and bleed the ENTIRE SYSTEM using a pressure bleeder set to 15psi...

take a spare brake rez cap...drill a hole and put a compressor male fitting in it...turn the compressor to 15psi....fill the rez with brake fluid..hook up airline and wrap it in shop towel..(it kinda mists sometimes)..goto back pass bleeder...open...keep an eye on it..figure out when yer close to half empty on the rez...disco the hose..top the rez off...do it again...I run about 2 FULL rez's thru the back pass side...then fill it up..do the driver rear...refill...pass front...refil...driver front...

I've done brakes this way for the last 3 years....and lemme tell ya...it FREAKIN ROCKS!!...your puting all new fluid in the system...you can do it yourSELF....and nobody wears their leg out pumpin the pedal!!

 

[david85]

The rear brake line junction box mounted on the rear end housing of my 86 f250 has a lever attached to it. What is this for, and if it fails could it restrict the fluid flow to the rear brakes. I have replaced everything in my brake system and can still not get good rear brakes. Thanks for any help.

That is a load sensor. It modulates rear brake line pressure depending on how much the rear of the truck us squating. Its not electronic or complex like the later rear ABS that started in 1987(I think it was 87). Some guys just prefer to bypass it, but mine seems to work well.

Have you done any rear suspension lift at all?

You say you replaced everything else. Did you replace the rear drum brake shoes? If so, did you adjust them before driving the truck again?

 

[zpd307]

my old 88 jeep commanche had that. it regulates rear brake pressure depending on the load. i didnt think ford had that.

 

[k_williams1982]

My '86 F250 had that "lever" on the Sterling 10.25 that was under the rear. My '85 F350 doesn't have it. I thought about putting it on the F350, but I don't know what it really does or if it'd be worth it. I have a wiring harness that goes down the frame from a '88 truck and figured I'll just put an ABS rear axle under the truck in the future and hook up the new harness so that I have ABS on the rear. It gets slick around here in the winter and sliding around in a 7,200# CC on the ice is no fun.

 

[sassyrel]

as said,its a load sensor based on how far the rear of the truck squats--have had zero problems with mine. even with the truck empty, they will bleed. just not full speed ahead!! they did this so not instant pressure to the rear that would lock the rear brakes--with it empty---

 

[wolfman]

Thanks for info on brakes/load sensor

Appreciate the info on the brakes/load sensor. It it helps to know what something is suspose to do to try and figure out what its not doing. My suspension has not been altered from stock, and shoes were adjusted after replacement. Haven't replaced the rubber hoses in system, but have bleed with air powered bleeder. Is it possible that the sensor unit could fail or over restrict the fluid flow when no load on the truck? Thanks again for the help. Nothing beats experience and there's plenty of that at this site.

 

[Michael Fowler]

Appreciate the info on the brakes/load sensor. It it helps to know what something is suspose to do to try and figure out what its not doing. My suspension has not been altered from stock, and shoes were adjusted after replacement. Haven't replaced the rubber hoses in system, but have bleed with air powered bleeder. Is it possible that the sensor unit could fail or over restrict the fluid flow when no load on the truck? Thanks again for the help. Nothing beats experience and there's plenty of that at this site.

Yes, or simply out of adjustment. Shorten the link and see if you get more rear brake application. (Shortening the link will simulate more load in the bed, and apply more rear brakes---if everything is working)