Have a 1972 vehicle that has been parked, in a garage, for 24 years..

Got it runing (some stories there)

But the brakes... They worked ok when I got it, but..its for my 16 year old son and I need him to have good brakes..

So, We blead the brakes out.. The fluid was, well, the color of red wine mixed with old blood...

They now work worse.. Pushing harder with less braking.. ( NOT power brakes)

Could be some air in the lines.. BUT..

Should I just buy a master, all wheel clys, and both rubber lines and make it new??? Sitting for that long CANT be good with that Dot3...

Opinions???? Please....

 

Depends on the condition of the parts and what is available, sometimes brake parts are not easily available (went through that with my 67 caddy hearse).
Easiest is to replace the master, brake hoses, and wheel cylinders / calipers with new or rebuilt. Replace the hoses no matter if they look good or not, they collapse from the inside. Replace steel lines as needed and flush with new fluid. If you pull the wheel cylinders and master apart and the bores are not pitted then they are easy enough to rebuild and it is much cheaper. I have a small 3 stone hone that is for wheel cylinders but emery cloth works just as well. See what is available before you start wrenching, and if you have to rebuild a wheel cylinder or caliper make sure you can get the bleeder valve out before you remove it, they are a major pain when they break.

 

I think master and all wheel cyls are available..

 

Yes, and you probably have three rubber hoses on the vehicle. Inspect the steel lines closely, especially where they are clamped in place. The clamp is a place for hidden rust.

 

Sooo...
If I replace the master and all 4 wheel cyls, as well as all the rubber hoses, but NOT replace the steel lines, can I switch to Dot5??

 

Certainly change the master, wheel cylinders and any rubber but I would also change the brake lines while it's all apart...

Why take the chance? Especially with your young son driving it.

 

You don't want to use dot 5 , not good or needed on street car.


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With the old gals, especially those who have been idle for a number of years, the best bet it to replace all the brake and fuel lines. It is possible to get by, of course, but the small amount of money and extra time required are a bargain compared to trying to trouble-shoot rusty, crud containing lines and hoses.

 

In Texas we don't usually have big problems with rusted out hard lines. In Oregon, I don't know. Lots of the folks around here are using Dot 5 in their drum brake vehicles and love it. Silicone brake fluid (Dot 5) doesn't absorb water like Dot 3. You can't use Dot 5 with anti-lock brakes, which may be the source of truckeemtnfords's warning above.

 

Tech Article: Brake Fluid

Here's an article about Brake fluid. It claims DOT 5 is a good choice for vehicles not driven regularly.

 

I have been using DOT 5 for years and never had any issues. It does not absorb water and it won't eat the paint if it spills...

Do not mix it with the standard fluid, they do not mix. If you are replacing old (NON DOT 5) fluid, it needs to be completely flushed and cleaned out first before re-filling with DOT 5.

 

I just ordered a MC, all wheel cyls, all metal, and all flex lines.. Seems like the best time to switch to Dot 5...

 

Never can go wrong replacing old brake systems. While your waiting for the brake parts check all your wheel bearings and seals.

 

Personally I wouldn't mess with Dot 5. If you really want a high boiling pressure get Dot 4 or 5.1.

A thing worth mentioning is that nearly all rebuilt calipers and master cylinders are pressure tested with regular brake fluid to check for leaks before they are put in the box. So even if you have new parts to install, your still going to mix fluids with Dot 5 unless you flush the parts out with brake clean.

If your really paranoid about striping paint when pouring brake fluid, just carry a little spray bottle of water with you. Rinse off anything you spill and will never have a paint problem.

 

So, would you just stick with good-ol Dot 3? Keep it simple?