brake lines

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Nov 29, 2010 | 03:27 AM

blackenedbodom

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brake lines

at first i thought the leak was comin from the drivers front brake line so i replaced it, then i later found out it was the rear line, so i replaced that and now that ive done all this i go to flush my brake lines one by one, so i start with the drivers side front and i push the brake pedal about 50 times and nothing comes out then after that the pedal locks up on the way back, it goes down fine but wont spring back up anymore? any ideas? the master cylinder is full and i can see its trying to pump but its not losing any fluid. im new to brakes any info would help thanks

1980 f150 300 6

Nov 29, 2010 | 03:28 AM

blackenedbodom

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im thinking theres mabey a chunk of rust in the lines possibly?

Nov 29, 2010 | 06:10 AM

Superred2

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From: Spartanburg, SC

I ran into a somewhat similar issue and I just replaced everything. I replaced all three hoses, lines, calipers, cylinders, and master cylinder. It took a full weekend, but worth it in the end.

The pedal is just an extension of the master cylinder so if the pedal is not returning, then the master cylinder is compressed, but not releasing. Is the lid off the master cylinder? Did you bench bleed it prior to installing it?

I have gravity bled the brakes before where you crack the bleeders on one of the rear cylinders and the top of the master cylinder and let the fluid begin to run through. It takes a while, but I just watch the levels in the master cylinder and keep it full. After about two hours, I close the bleeder and crack the other rear bleeder. Then just move on to the front.

Nov 29, 2010 | 08:37 AM

smashclash

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From: South Jersey

if you're bleeding your brakes with the gravity method you should be starting with the wheel furthest from the MC which would be RR, LR, RF, LF.

Nov 29, 2010 | 08:58 AM

Franklin2

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From: Virginia

You are going to need to two people if you use the "pump the pedal" method. Close all the bleeders, pump the pedal a few times and then hold it to the floor while someone cracks the bleeder. While holding the pedal to the floor, close the bleeder. Once the bleeder is closed, you can let the pedal up off the floor and pump it some more and then hold it down again while the bleeder is cracked and then shut again.

You will have to do this several times before you get anything, and if all the rear lines are empty, it takes more than the reservoir will hold to fill them, so stop and check the fluid level in the master cylinder often. If you run out of fluid, you have to start all over.

Nov 29, 2010 | 12:09 PM

blackenedbodom

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im not trying to bleed air out im tryin to flush the lines. is the screw that connects the flex hose fitting to the caliper the one i use to bleed? i thought there was a seperate screw?

Nov 29, 2010 | 05:57 PM

bashby

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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va

there is a seperate bleeder screw, it looks kinda like a grease fitting and is at the top of the calipers and at wheel cylinders just above were the line attaches

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Nov 29, 2010 | 06:03 PM

Franklin2

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From: Virginia

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackenedbodom

im not trying to bleed air out im tryin to flush the lines. is the screw that connects the flex hose fitting to the caliper the one i use to bleed? i thought there was a seperate screw?

There is a separate bleeder screw on the caliper. If it's broke off, or you break it off, yes you can use the banjo fitting where the rubber line connects.

Flushing or bleeding, you have to use the procedure I described if you are using the pedal. If you don't, you end up sucking air in the lines and you can't flush, you can't bleed, you can't do anything, because the air compresses and doesn't push the fluid out.

If you had a vacuum bleeder, you could do it yourself, but you would still have to make sure you shut the bleeder before you took the vacuum off the system. The system has to stay closed, or air will enter.