Well it has now been 5 weeks since my truck was last driven after the brakes gave out. Funny, with the old rusted master cylinder and brown brake fluid the brakes where firm like they should be. First master cylinder and new fluid worked for 2 weeks and then pedal to the floor. Put in a new master a few days ago and replaced the three flexible hoses (old ones bad but worked before). Then ran 1 1/2 qts. of brake fluid through the system to bleed everything. Collected 1 1/2 qts. with not a leak anywhere. Guess what? Pedal to the floor with mild effort. Another defective master cylinder by process of elimination. Don't know if I'll ever get this thing back on the road...

 

I'm still going through this. Grab the two little blue plastic things they give you with the master. Block both line holes in master and check the master should not be able to push the brakes. Don't press too hard. just check to see if fluid is passing the seals. If not the master is good. And you most likely got all the air out of the master.

Next block the fronts and hook up the rears. Did you remember to crank up the adjuster on all your wheels?? do it now. You must>!>!

I have a one way hose I hooked up to it. but it was leaking air into the system around the bleeders. So I did a no-no and added teflon tape and bled the rears. I now at least have a pedal. The fronts are next. Listen to brakes should be making noise at each wheel as springs move ect...

hook up the fronts.

I'm not done . and my brakes won't come fully up with the booster hooked up but at least I can stop.

You might want to give it a rest in between, cause I had lots of tiny bubble tat I could not get out. And you will need 3x the brake fluid you think you need.

If you have help . Have some slowly press the brakes while you close the nuts at the master when ou hook up the lines again.

PITA

bob

 

Well just installed the third master cylinder and have the same problem. No matter how bleeding is done the pedal goes to the floor as though there is an open line. Posted this up on my Cougar board to see if they come up with anything now that I am out of ideas. Months before did my disc/drum Cougar and all drum Mustang wihtout a problem.

 

I know the frustation you feel with brakes. I have to bleed them again before I take the truck for a ride with the newly rebuilt engine. I don't think I got all the air out the first few times. Also did you bench bleed the masters before you put them on? Super simple step but often overlooked.

 

Oh, the master was definitely bench bleed.

 

I finally got mine right yesterday. I was about to give up.

I crancked up the rear drum adjusters till they stopped the wheel from moving. both sides them backed off just a little. I GOT BRAKES!!!! I was adjustingthe wrong way. I guess what I heard that I thought was shoes on drum was just the shoes out of alignment?!?!

Jack up the rear and check your crank up your rear shoes screwdriver handle moves low to high or the tip moves high to low.

bob

 

Don't rub it in Bob. LOL

Ok Mike I was just making sure. I would think that if you had brakes for a few weeks and they died on you some line or fitting maybe loose/pulled allowing air to be sucked back in the system. Do you remember going over a big bump or something before the brakes went south?