I'm having the same issue, soft brakes. I've done everything except the "hop under the car and adjust something on the rear brakes".

Any help would be appreciated.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...ting-tool.html

This might be helpful. I'm sorry I didn't crawl under the car and watch them do what they did. They just said "we adjusted your back brakes."

There seems to be a method that involves braking hard while in reverse... sorry I can't be of more assistance.

 

The rear drum brakes have a screw adjuster operated automatically. Four methods:

1. Normal usage, when reversing the self-adjuster should take up any slack.

2. Deliberately drive in reverse and brake several times, the self-adjuster should take up any slack. If you have a long pedal travel problem then this likely won't work, the adjuster have stuck/seized/frozen, if it worked easily then (1) above would be working...

3. On the brake back plate there is a small rectangular rubber plug above and to the rear of the drive shaft, remove the plug and you can manually adjust the star-wheel adjuster with the tip of a screwdriver.

4. Pull the drums off and manually adjust up - chances are you can't take out all the play before the drum won't fit back on but you can then see the star-wheel and rubber plug, you can see what you need to do easily when the drum is back on.

If manually adjusting you should only adjust until you hear/feel drag, then back the adjuster off until no drag heard/felt.

There <will> still be more movement in the brake pedal than with an all-disk brake setup.

Haynes manual covers the procedure with pics.

 

I'm fairly certain my friend did #3 on simonsi's very helpful list.