The first time I did the front and rears on my 97, after I compressed the calipers and replaced the fronts, the rears almost totally stopped working and I was getting a huge shimmy when I applied the brakes over about 40mph. While I was trying to figure out why, I noticed the same thing about the adjuster hardware. I went to several different auto parts stores and found that what the 'book' said should be the correct replacement adjuster cables were about 3/4" longer than the ones I removed originally. A nice guy in a Mom 'n Pop parts store by my house went through his supply and found the correct one (I believe it was supposed to be for an '89, can't remember). That corrected the adjuster problem, but the rear brakes still were not working properly.
After some additional legwork, I found out that it was the ABS system causing the problem. Compressing the fromts had messed up the system and very little fluid pressure was going to the rear even though I had bled them repeatedly. The trick to fix it was with the engine off open both rear bleeders and have someone put the brake pedal to the floor and hold it while the bleeders are closed. Repeat it once, check the fluid level. After that the problem stopped for good. No more shimmy, and the rears seemed to be working just fine.
PS. for what its worth, I had all kinds of trouble with that van, electrical, engine and transmission as well as the nagging brake problem. I ended up getting rid of it. '97 seems to be a bad year for ford vans from waht I have heard.
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03-12-2006, 10:32 PM
1997 E 150 rear brakes
