Brakes going mushy

tyler82

I have a 95 ford ranger 4x4 manual V6, and in reverse the brakes go mushy, almost 90% of the time, do I need a new master cylinder?

93tracker5spd

Hello, a 95 should still have drums on the back. If you're absolutely sure it only happens in reverse and the breaks work fine at all speeds driven in forward motion, start by looking to see if there is a leak in any of the rear lines, follow them to there termination at the pressure equalizer block. If no leaks, I would pull the rear drums and see that all the springs and connectors are in their correct place and attached, not broken. Also check the condition of the drums inner surface, look for excessive wear or a raised ridge around the back side, if so have them checked by a local shop you trust, to see if they meet the specs. As far as the master cylinder, it is simply a small hydraulic pump that moves fluid into the lines under pressure to apply the breaks. It doesn't care if you're moving forward or backward. In very rare cases, a small piece of contaminant could pass through the screen and plug one of the valves in the pressure equalizer block, but this is very, very rare. Good luck and post back to let us know how it goes.