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Dear Jim,

I'm having a brake problem with my 1996 Ford F350 pickup (7.5L, V8). When I step on the pedal, it feels soft and spongy.

I thought it might be the master cylinder, but the pedal still won't harden even when I pump it a few times. I even had a friend bleed the brakes three times to flush out air and water in the system, but that didn't fix it. The brake fluid I'm using is brand new. Also, the truck is pulling to the right when I brake, but I don't know if that's related. Any ideas?

-- Dean Foley

Good job trying to fix this, bro, though it sounds like you need to check the right front brake pads. There's an inner pad and an outer pad on the caliper that clamp around the brake rotor when you step on the pedal. Chances are, the one on the inside is bent, and this would explain both the soft pedal and the pulling to one side.

What's happening is this: There's a piston that makes the pads squeeze together, and the inner brake pad can sometimes get hung up in the caliper so tightly that the piston movement makes the pad buckle and flex.

That's no good.

All pads need to stay straight and flat so they'll contact the rotor at the same time and provide solid, even braking. Yours aren't, and that's what's causing the spongy feeling you're getting in the pedal.

Actually, warped break pads are pretty common with mid-'90s Ford trucks such as yours, which is one more reason to suspect this is the case.

If you're lucky, you'll just need to replace the pads. They aren't that expensive, but they all need to be replaced -- even if it's just one pad that's bent. This will ensure they're all the same thickness, so they'll wear down evenly over time.

And get it done right away, bro, because it's a problem that will get worse and more expensive over time. If that pad-flexing problem goes on long enough, it can damage the brake rotor, and that's a heftier chunk of change.

Tip of the Week:

Drivers, that glowing red "brake" light on the dash can mean several things. If it's a sticky parking brake, that's not so bad. On the other hand, that warning light can signal a loss of hydraulic brake pressure -- much more dangerous. When you see the light, get it checked out ASAP.

Buffalo Jim, owner of Allstate Auto & Marine Repair in Las Vegas, writes a weekly column. Send your automotive questions to him at buffalojim@lasvegasniftynickel.com. If Jim picks your question to answer in Nuts & Bolts, you'll also be the proud recipient of a deck of official Buffalo Jim playing cards, presented in a classy, tin box bearing his hairy image.