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I had just finishing bleeding the brakes on my '79 F150 4X4 351M/C6 when my Dad, the pedal man, says "weren't you supposed to pull the pin out on the proportioning valve before you bled the front brakes?". (smack forehead several times!) Oh yeah, thats right, I just forgot. BUT-- I was able to bleed the front brakes no problem (or so it seems)--good flow of fluid out the bleeder valve with each push of the brake pedal. Have I hurt my proportioning valve by doing this? Should it even be able to flow through the front brakes if I don't pull the pin, and would this mean the valve was already trashed? There is no leaking at the valve, and after I finished, I checked and the brake light on the dash comes on when the ignition switch is first turned, but goes out after the engine is started, so it seems the centering thingy in the proportioning valve is centered OK. Also, how far should the pin go when you do pull it out? I have checked and the pin on mine moves only ever so slightly, about 2 millimeters at the most. Any and all help appreciated. Thanks, Robb
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 15-Oct-02 AT 12:24 PM (EST)]I believe that you have to pull out the pin on the prop valve when you bleed the front brakes. The back brakes can be done without pulling this pin out. I believe that by pulling the pin out you are allowing full flow to the front brakes. I don't think that you have wrecked the valve.
As far as distance that the pin should be pulled out: I would like to know this as well as I am unsure.
I have heard you have to pull that pin to bleed the front but have never had to do it. It might be just under certain conditions. I don't think you hurt anything.
I just did front brakes on my 79 and also replaced the proportioning valve(it was leaking),bled the fronts with no problem and never touched the pin.Truck stops great!