How to adjust brakes so that I don't have to push so hard to get good stopping?

[96blak54]

Thats alot more meat you gripping there!

 

[Mustang5L5]

Here is a pic of the booster--you can see where the MC mates to it there is a trail from fluid and it appears rusty toward the bottom. What does it mean?

MC is likely leaking. It leaks out the back of the MC into the booster and eats the rubber. You can kinda unbolt the MC and pull it slightly forward a bit and if it's wet it needs to be replaced. Booster should also be replaced as the brake fluid will eventually destroy it, if it hasn't already.

Make sure you bench bleed the new MC

 

[SHDOPNY]

If the MC was leaking wouldn't he be having to put more fluid in at intervals. I would almost vote that either the MC is not functioning as intended anymore or the fluid has absorbed so much water at this point it's borderline useless or a mixture of both. I had a similar issue and I just bit the bullet and replaced everything minus the pads, rotors, calipers as those were still fine.

 

[DPP]

Here is what I can see/tell from my inspection. The area where the MC mates to the booster shows signs of fluid that has leaked at some point and as the picture shows there is some corrosion and deterioration of the paint from that connection area down to the bottom of the booster. The booster feels "oily" on the bottom, not watery, and there feels like there is a loss of the paint and some corrosion. I purchased the car almost a year ago and have not had to put any fluid in that I remember. The brakes are firm, bit I have to apply strong pressure to stop well--I am use to more modern car brakes, but my first car was a 1994 mustang and I don't remember have to apply the kind of pressure I am to get good stopping.

Based on the observations and the comments, I think I need to clean out the fluid in the lines, replace the booster and MC, and put in fresh fluid.

I appreciate the input.