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Wed Jan 19, 2005 9:20 pm

I am over at my friends house working on his 1964 bug on a 1972 pan. We replaced his master cylinder, front brake line and one front wheel cylinder. Right now we have no front brakes, yes we have rear brake. The pedal stops half way and does not go down. we have been bleeding the brakes up front but it doesnt make a difference. Would like to know what else I could try and also if wheel cylinders could create a problem.

Wed Jan 19, 2005 9:39 pm

Try pumping up the brakes, hold the pressure, and then on the master cylinder loosen up one of the front brake lines. If you get a seepage from the master cylinder at that point than your front brake line/s are blocked or the front cylinders are pluged up. Next, if there is a flow, pump up again and release/loosen the brake line from one/both of the front brake cylinders at the backingplate. If there is a seepage/folw than on to the cylinders themselves via the bleeder valves. The bleeder valves sometimes get plugged up. That might be your problem. Take them off/out and clean in carbureator cleaner or some such thing and blow them out with air and/or a very thin wire, replace. Try bleeding the brakes again. Have your buddy pump and hold the brake pedal with the drums and wheels on the car and see if you can turn one or both of the wheels. It's possible that one wheel cylinder is bad or maybe both or maybe the Master Cylinder.

It's a process of elimination.

Don't forget when your buddy 'pumps up the brakes' he can not let up on the pedal until you have tightened up anything you have loosened up to see if there is brake fluid seepage, anywhere.

Roger

Fri Jan 21, 2005 2:50 am

rusted front brake lines.

Fri Jan 21, 2005 9:15 pm

have you tried.....adjusting the brakes? ya know that little star wheel on a threaded, headless bolt? yeah, turn that till the brakes rub up against the drum, then loosen just enough that it's not rubbing. bleed the brakes...try again. this is often the problem when your brakes are mushy as well, not air in the lines. it could be rusted brakes lines....but it could also be that you simply need to adjust the brakes, which means whoever installed the brakes the last time didn't adjust them properly and they are wearing unevenly.

Fri Jan 21, 2005 9:16 pm

if you replaced the front brake lines....forget about the rusted brake lines. try adjusting your brakes.