If it occurs on all wheels, it is the master cylinder getting blocked from junk in the master cylinder return port (you mentioned that the linkage is now disconnected so that rules out the lack of free-play clearance).
If it is one of the front brake flex lines, or the rear brake flex line it would not make the pedal get hard...


There is enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us that it does not behoove any of us to criticize the rest of us.
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Be yourself. If you are ever lost, It will be much easier to find yourself if you know who you are!