Both sides of the front brakes are now re-assembled and installed, bearings repacked and both front wheels back on. Before the polar deep freeze invaded I needed to move the truck out to get my loader tractor in behind it to open up the spot for my plow truck. I think I have the fronts adjusted about right- but without any fluid in the cylinders, I need to bleed everything down, first.
I put together a vacuum bleeder setup- Dad worked for Gast Manufacturing, a local company that made high quality air compressors, air motors and vacuum pumps. When he was in the test lab he acquired a few parts along the way. I have a nice, small 120V, carbon vane vacuum pump, with tubing connected to a quart mason jar, with tubing connected to the bleeders. After extended fiddling and only a small amount of fluid pulled, I started to look at the master cylinder and hydro booster. there is a bleeder on the hydro, which is first on the bleed list. I had gravity bled it last fall, so I assumed it full. I hooked on there and got nothing out, so something must be wrong in there. I pulled the master cylinder off the firewall and checked it all out, nice and clean like new inside.filled it with new fluid and it came out all the joints down to the hydro. So, go after the hydro.
I was able to unhook all the connections easily enough, and three bolts later it was out. I have never touched one of these before, but what the heck, someone put it together, I can take it apart!
Moving everything inside rather than trying to heat the shop in -17F gave me a little better work attitude. The following pictures will show the rest, I hope.
- Here's the whole thing
- Up close of the important part
- Not sure if this logo helps identify it
- Blurry, but the first numbers refer to 2016? maybe
- coming apart
- The control valve
- cylinder after cleanup, one bad score mark
- maybe easier to see the score line?
- main piston, seals and score marks
- other side of piston scored as well, seal okay?
All the rubber parts looked fine, there was an obvious score mark from some previous time. No real rust inside anywhere, some jelly-like water/fluid in the cylinder. I was surprised how clean it was internally. The main piston did not work smoothly in and out, even after cleaning and lube with brake fluid. It is better now, but not perfect. I reassembled everything and figure I'll put it back on and see what happens now.