Brakes Won't Stiffen

[VonHayek]

I have a '99 which has a very soft brakes. The brake pedal will go all the way to the floor, but the the breaks still function. If you pump the pedal, it stiffens pretty well.

I have replaced the master cylinder and a caliper mount, but it has not fixed the problem. I have bled the brakes 5 times, including the line connections at the cylinder twice. Any suggestions?

[96paseo]

If you have drum brakes in the rear, they probably need to be adjusted.

[VonHayek]

Originally Posted by 96paseo

If you have drum brakes in the rear, they probably need to be adjusted.

I thought of that, but I when I went to adjust them, there was no hole in the back of plate. I guess I have to manually adjust with the drum off?

[Dave's]

Probably unlikely but have someone hit the brakes and check the front hoses to the calipers. I've seen them swell out like a small balloon. Of course, at some point they 'pop'.

[hill8570]

Originally Posted by VonHayek

I thought of that, but I when I went to adjust them, there was no hole in the back of plate. I guess I have to manually adjust with the drum off?

The rear drums on the Gen4 are self-adjusting via the parking brake -- work the parking brake a few times.

Sounds more like a pressure issue to me, 'tho.

I assume you've been watching the brake fluid level, and it isn't dropping (just to rule out leaks).

When you bled them, you bled both fronts and rears (rears first)?

Page 2 of the factory manual at http://www.camrystuff.com/manuals/Gen4/Brake.pdf has a good troubleshoot chart -- take a look.

[DarkMastyr]

Got any leaks?