Gotta wonder how you've managed to avoid doing brakes all this time! Lucky
you! The procedure is actually very simple, but needs two people. Don't
know why, but my wife HATES helping. Maybe it is me yelling at her when she
lets up on the brake pedal too soon? However, the procedure really is
pretty simple.
FIrst you gotta figure out where the air is coming in. Regardless, there
has to be a leak somewhere. Most likely one of the wheel cylinders.
Replace the wheel cylinder or fix the leak first.
To bleed: Start with a quart sized bottle of brake fluid. Open the master
cylinder (access thru hole in floor). Make sure it is full (and once you
start, it is CRITICAL that it stays full). Then, starting with the right
rear wheel cylinder, you open the bleed screw (get a special brake bleeder
screw wrench (couple of dollars at Pep Boys)). I use a Lisle bleeding
contraption (basically a plastic jar with a hose the pushes onto the bleeder
screw and collects discharged fluid, and also keeps air from being drawn in
at the bleeder screw. Also under $10 and available at any of the better
stocked auto parts stores. Anyway, before starting, first makes sure you
can loosen ALL the bleeder screws. As soon as you loosen them, retighten,
but at least this way you KNOW they will brake (sic) (pun intended) free.
Otherwise, you will need to remove the wheel cylinder and use a vice to
remove them (but then you'll also need replacement bleeder screw). Ok, all
the screws are loose and retightened. Now go to the right rear wheel
cylinder, hook the hose over the screw, loosen slightly the screw, then have
a helper slowly push the brake pedal to the floor and HOLD IT DOWN DO NOT
RELEASE. With the pedal down, retighten the screw. Now have the helper
raise the brake pedal, pump it to build up pressure, then hold pressure on
it while you reloosen the screw. The pedal will slowly sink to the floor.
Again, have them hold in down until you retighten the screw. Then they can
raise the pedal. Continue this procedure until all air bubbles stop coming
out the screw and down the hose. Also, if the brakes haven't been bleed in
awhile, continue until the cloudy brown fluid is replaced by clear (new
appearing) fluid. Then go to the left side wheel and repeat. Then go to
the right front and repeat, then the left front and repeat.
At all times, make sure the master cylinder never runs low, otherwise you
will introduce air into the system, and then have to start the whole thing
over again (been there, done that - remember me saying about yelling at wife
:-(
Brakes are really pretty easy to learn how to do. All you have to keep in
mind, is that you are trying to avoid air at all costs. If the pedal gets
raised while the bleeder screw is open, you draw air into it (unless you
have the Lisle system in place, in which case, the hose is filled with fluid
and then only fluid get sucked back in. Using the Lisle system will
simplify things somewhat by preventing the need to retighten the screw with
each push of the pedal. It also allows you to collect the wasted brake
fluid (to later dispose of as HAZWASTE).
There are tools that will power bleed the brakes by "sucking" fluid down the
lines from the master cylinder (you basically hook it up at each wheel and
suck fluid through the line and this makes it a one man job, but is more
costly a tool. I am thinking about getting one though as they aren't REAL
costly and will prevent a broken marriage perhaps.
Let me know if any of this in unclear or you have any other questions.
Rob
----- Original Message -----
From: tcape <tcape@weblnk.net>
To: Rob J. <rjj0msj@ix.netcom.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 08, 1999 6:48 AM
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Brake Problem
> Thanks, Rob. I've never bled the brakes before. Is that a big deal...or
> something simple?? What do you do with the extra fluid that comes out?
> Will it evaporate if left on the driveway? I try to be "environmentally
> friendly" if at all possible. Thanks for the response.
> Tom
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rob J. <rjj0msj@ix.netcom.com>
> To: oletrucks@autox.team.net <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
> Date: Tuesday, July 06, 1999 6:20 PM
> Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Brake Problem
>
>
> >Agreed about the air, especially if it shows up "suddenly". If bleeding,
> >start at the wheel cylinder the furthest away from the master and work
your
> >way to the one that is closest. Especially important on the single
> >reservoirs systems.
> >
> >Rob
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: Marlene Rzepkowski <mrzepkow@rochester.rr.com>
> >To: tcape <tcape@weblnk.net>; Oletrucks <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
> >Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 1999 1:51 PM
> >Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Brake Problem
> >
> >
> >> Mushy brakes is usually air in the lines. Air can get in from a low
> >> reservoir. Try bleeding the brakes all around.
> >> Dick
> >> 59 Apache - 1 ton.
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: tcape <tcape@weblnk.net>
> >> To: Oletrucks <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
> >> Date: Tuesday, July 06, 1999 3:25 PM
> >> Subject: [oletrucks] Brake Problem
> >>
> >>
> >> >Need some help on a brake problem. While driving my '47 this week, I
> >> >noticed the brakes have suddenly gotten very "spongy" and are VERY
slow
> >to
> >> >stop the truck. I have to mash them very hard to get the truck to
slow
> >> >down. They still work, just don't stop nearly as well as before. Any
> >idea
> >> >what the problem is??? TIA
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and
1959
> >> >
> >>
> >> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
> >>
> >
> >oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
> >
>
>
>
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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