[Spridgets] Brake Bleed From Hell Yesterday!

Sat Jun 29 09:27:16 MDT 2019

I feel bad for you, doing all this work and not having much success. There
is only so much of the learning process you can accept before you give up
and buy a Toyota. ;-(

The best brake job is to do it all, and do it right. You should wait until
you have a new or properly rebuilt MC, a new or rebuilt proportioning valve
(often forgotten), new front calipers, new rear wheel cylinders, new flex
hoses, and the proper pads, shoes, rotors and drums (which I would also buy
new). And a brand new bottle of brake fluid (discussed at length, earlier).

Lay them all out on a sheet or drop cloth to keep them clean. Then get to
work, and clean as you go. Start at the front and work your way thru the
system to the rear. Bleed the brakes only after everything else is replaced
and in bristol fashion.

I hope your driveway is level. Spridgets don't weigh much. Get your brother
to help you push the car to a safe place so you can access the garage
stuff, then push it back into the garage and Bob's your uncle. If you are
on a hill, this may not work. You may need a winch...or AAA.

You will feel better about the job if you have everything ready to go and
can complete it in the proper steps. One more thing, buy a cheep cube
'fridge for the garage and stock it with Guinness. Just one stout after
working hard on an LBC will make you feel good about yourself.

Allen Hefner
Norristown, PA
Sun City Center, FL

*Current:*
2016 Subaru outback somewhere
2006 Chebbie
*Former:*
1963 Sunbeam Alpine Series III
1967 Triumph TR4A IRS
1964 VW Type I
1967 VW Type II
1967 Rover 2000TC
1977 MG Midget (Sniff!)

On Sat, Jun 29, 2019 at 8:50 AM Linda Grunthaner via Spridgets <
spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:

> Mike,
> That makes a lot of sense, what size is that cap and are they standard?
>
> Now I see why I have all that air and blew out that wheel cylinder, I had
> the drum off when I bleed it. Whoops getting back to the books and school
> of hard knocks. What a mistake I made.
> Linda
>
> On Fri, Jun 28, 2019 at 10:27 AM Mike Myers <mdmyersct at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Lin,
>>
>> If you press on the brake pedal with the shoes and springs missing that
>> wheel cylinder will have no resistance and the piston may blow out past the
>> seal. You may want to disconnect brake line from that cylinder and cap it
>> off so pressure will build up to the other wheels and give you some brakes
>> to move it around
>>
>> Mike Myers
>>
>> On Jun 28, 2019, at 9:39 AM, Linda Grunthaner via Spridgets <
>> spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:
>>
>> Yes, yes and yes, Lester, I tried everything on the hoses to the Mityvac
>> pump and I never let the MC go dry. With a new 1/4" hose to the vac it was
>> better but too late too much air got in. Yes I turned the adjuster to clear
>> the pads as I do understand how to adjust that screw. Although when I get
>> all my new parts I'll require a list to learn that adjustment.
>>
>> Three new questions:
>>
>> 1. If I remove these drivers pads & the spring parts and put the drum
>> back on and wheel to roll her what could happen if I press the brake peddle
>> will I brake anything? Will the calipers up front and rear passengers pads
>> stop the car so I can use engine power to move it and not hurt my back?
>>
>> 2. How do I know what size this wheel cylinder is to buy another for
>> temporary use till Gerard's parts arrive? Victoria British catalog lists
>> several sizes as per engine size & I did not install these but I do have an
>> upgraded 1275 and front disc brakes so I'm assuming they are for 1275 (see
>> pics attached).
>>
>> 3. The front calipers are making the front wheels tight to rotate but
>> with wheels on I can rotate, do I unbolt the calipers to inspect as I
>> recall doing this before with my Spitfire back in the day and I press the
>> pads in to get back on the disc.
>>
>> Again thanks for all your help Lester and to all the List,
>> Linda
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Jun 28, 2019 at 8:51 AM JMFangio <oldsaabguy at comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>> First, using your “oh so shitty’ Mityvac, you did put some grease around
>>> the nipple being bled right?  It’s important as air will come in through
>>> the threads.  In fact air coming in is most likely from there or from the
>>> master if you ran out of fluid.  I haven’t had much luck with Mityvacs
>>> either FWIW.
>>>
>>> Second, yup, put the drum on and roll away.
>>>
>>> Third, just to be sure, the adjuster on the wheel you are putting back
>>> on needs to be all the way in, second getting the shoes aligned perfectly
>>> to get the drum back on takes a little fiddling, if there is rust on the
>>> edge of the drum (where it first contacts the shoes going on ) that won’t
>>> help things.
>>>
>>> Lastly, the wheel cylinders are inexpensive, get new ones.
>>>
>>> Lester
>>>
>>>
>>> On Jun 28, 2019, at 7:37 AM, Linda Grunthaner via Spridgets <
>>> spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> List,
>>> I'm waiting for all new parts from Gerard so that is the good news, yes
>>> just be patient Linda. Below starts my bad news of not being successful
>>> which seems to be my biggest problem being "defeated" when working on any
>>> car project especially a Spridget.
>>>
>>> While I'm waiting for my parts to be built from Gerard I wanted to get
>>> my Spridget out of the driveway so I can get the VW bus out of the garage
>>> and in turn get my motorcycle out to ride with my older brother as he will
>>> be leaving in 8 days for his cross country Harley Davidson trip to our
>>> family in California. Below is my hell with brake bleeding.
>>>
>>> I decided to continue bleeding with the "oh so shitty" Mityvac bleeder
>>> device as the brakes were hard but went to the floor after holding for
>>> longer periods of time. I cleaned the drums and all the rear parts with
>>> Brakcleen and was very happy with the results (I should be grateful for
>>> that), I kept getting air coming from the bleeder and hose to the Mityvac
>>> container which was sucking air and no clamp could control it on the
>>> drivers rear wheel cylinder but at least it was clear. Then I went to the
>>> passengers side rear, some air although not as much, then off to the
>>> passenger front caliper (yes upgraded disc's when I got Pinky in 2006) and
>>> it seemed nice and air free then to the drivers front caliper. When I was
>>> done with the messy job with continuous filling of the MC I still didn't
>>> have a firm peddle and somewhat less firm that before I started, (yes don't
>>> fix what is not broken).
>>>
>>> I went to the store got new hose 1/4" clear as I suspected my hose would
>>> not keep a seal to the container or the brake nipple. I decided to bleed
>>> the way I was successful with the VW bus, a tube in a jar of fluid push
>>> peddle hold peddle with a 3/4" dowel and then shut off the nipple. It was a
>>> sloppy nightmare as I saw fluid trickle from the drivers wheel cylinder
>>> which now I know was bad too so that I should be grateful for. I was unable
>>> to get the massive amounts of air out of the line now and have a very
>>> squishy peddle.
>>>
>>> I cleaned everything up after returning to using the stupid Mityvac
>>> again and now I can't get the drum on the shitty drivers rear wheel as the
>>> pads aren't lining up to get the drum on it. Note: I had to use a wheel
>>> puller to remove the drum (with now leaky cylinder) in the first place.
>>> After tapping with my lead hammer on the ads to get some kind of alignment
>>> to get the drum on the spring popped out (long spring has a spring coil on
>>> ether side and length of of rod separating both half's). I got so fed up
>>> last night I just cleaned up and hope for some advice.
>>>
>>> Questions:
>>> 1. Can I remove the drum pads from the shitty wheel and put the drum
>>> back on then the rear wheel so I can push the car without breaking
>>> anything? I'll assume yes.
>>>
>>> 2. Can I assume the only way I can get the car to move to the street
>>> under it own power and brakes is to try and buy a rear wheel cylinder
>>> locally fast to replace the leaker as a temporary fix while waiting for the
>>> good parts from Gerard then I can get my LBC into the garage and work
>>> through the night when the parts arrive, and get that bike out too.
>>>
>>> 3. Was I supposed to leave the master cylinder cap off when bleeding or
>>> put it back on during the bleeding procedure?
>>>
>>> Thanks guys for all your continued support I really want to succeed with
>>> this on my own and most importantly understand my LBC.
>>> Linda
>>> 62 California Sprite w/front discs "Pinky"
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> "Pay if forward" in honor of Frank Clarici III, Spritenut
>>> ------------------------
>>>
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>>>
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>>>
>>
>> --
>> "Pay if forward" in honor of Frank Clarici III, Spritenut
>>
>> <IMG_1589.JPG>
>>
>> <IMG_1590.JPG>
>>
>> ------------------------
>>
>> spridgets at autox.team.net
>>
>> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
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>>
>>
>
> --
> "Pay if forward" in honor of Frank Clarici III, Spritenut
> ------------------------
>
> spridgets at autox.team.net
>
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