TheSamba.com :: View topic - Another Pickle Post

Sat Dec 30, 2023 10:46 pm

Sun Dec 31, 2023 6:48 pm

Me: “I’m just gonna clean up the brakes a little and install the new master cylinder to see what’s going on. Keeping it simple.”

Also me:

Tue Jan 02, 2024 10:13 pm

It’s the little victories that keep you going.

I’ve had the bleeder valves soaking in PB Blaster for 4 days now. Still managed to partially strip one with a 7mm closed end box wrench. Couldn’t get it to budge with my vice-grip pliers either.

Went out and got a small metric deep extension set and the 7mm socket did the job. Honestly I was stressed about snapping one off inside the caliper. So relieved at this point, now on to the caliper cleanup and reinstalling them, along with the new Master and brake lines.

Cleaned up the threads with a brass brush, I’ll be cleaning them up a bit more as well.

Wed Jan 03, 2024 4:24 pm

Don't ever hesitate to go buy the correct tool you need! :twisted: :wink:

Wed Jan 03, 2024 4:27 pm

You're not kidding Mike. I saw how much it was going to cost me to find a replacement caliper if I ruined one beyond repair and figured I'd better do it the right way.

The funny thing is the wife actually approves the purchase of any tool needed to proceed with this project, or any other for that matter.

Gotta love that, LOL.

Fri Jan 12, 2024 9:34 pm

The hard lines came out of the master without issue, thank the Lord. Pulled the old master, removed the switches easy enough, and installed them on the new master.

Gotta run down to grab a new bolt or two to install the new master, as one of the original bolts is in pretty bad shape.

Sat Jan 13, 2024 5:07 am

Scotty D wrote: Thanks for that bit of wisdom. I’m thinking at some point in time I’ll likely remove the tar paper and install some sound deadening material.

On my Fasty that tar board had partially lifted up from the door and must have held some water over the years and rusted out some areas behind it. I wondered why I had this seemingly random rust hole on the outside of my door. When I took the door card out, then I figured it out. Yours looks good though.

I used a hot air gun to loosen up the tar board and scrape it out. Kinda makes a mess.

Now I need an oxy/acetlylene welding set up so I can practice some old school gas welding techniques. I had to give up MIG welding due to my pacemaker.

Sat Jan 13, 2024 8:41 pm

dougefresh wrote: Scotty D wrote: Thanks for that bit of wisdom. I’m thinking at some point in time I’ll likely remove the tar paper and install some sound deadening material.

On my Fasty that tar board had partially lifted up from the door and must have held some water over the years and rusted out some areas behind it. I wondered why I had this seemingly random rust hole on the outside of my door. When I took the door card out, then I figured it out. Yours looks good though.

I used a hot air gun to loosen up the tar board and scrape it out. Kinda makes a mess.

Now I need an oxy/acetlylene welding set up so I can practice some old school gas welding techniques. I had to give up MIG welding due to my pacemaker.

Too bad we aren’t closer to each other, I’ve got some welding to do myself.

Guess I should learn how first.😂😂

Sat Jan 13, 2024 8:58 pm

Did some more work on the brake system. Rotors are back on with the calipers reinstalled. Got the new master cylinder in, wasn’t too much of a fuss. The hardest part was reinstalling the hard line running through the tunnel.

Found out that leaving only one bolt loosely holding the master gave me a bit of wiggle room to find the right angle.

I’m concerned about the front soft lines I picked up from ISP West though. The male threaded end that screws into the back of the caliper bottoms out before the nut portion is able to sit flush with the caliper.

Sun Jan 14, 2024 7:08 pm

Pulled apart the rear drums and found that the P.O. had at some time replaced the cylinders, and turned the drums. Brake shoes still had plenty of life. So they got a good cleaning and some lube on the adjusters and put back together.

Sun Jan 14, 2024 7:20 pm

So I added some brake fluid until the reservoir nearly topped off and began bleeding, starting with the front right side. Got out some bubbles then some clean fluid and moved to the front left side.

Again got some bubbles out then some clean fluid. I started to get some pedal too. Began to show pressure at about 75% pressed down.

Yes, this is going well! Moved to the rear and found that no fluid at all was coming out of either side. I hadn’t yet replaced the rear soft lines, as the inward connections look nearly impossible to access. The left side especially, seeing as how it connects to the tee in the hard line.

But I got the outer connection loose on the left side soft line and began the struggle with the inner connection. Got a wrench on it, but felt like I would tweak the hard line before getting the soft line disconnected. Oddly, zero fluid came out of the soft line when disconnected.

Decided to give the brake pedal a few pumps to see if any fluid would exit the rear line, when I heard a pop and a bubbling of fluid down at the floorboard near the pedal assembly. Pulled back the carpet to find the hard line badly corroded near the pedals. DAMN. my fault for not digging deeper into the car first.

Sun Jan 14, 2024 7:24 pm

Wrapping my head around replacing the hard line from front to back without removing the body. Wondering if anyone has done it and has any advice.

Mon Jan 15, 2024 3:11 pm

Scotty D wrote: So I added some brake fluid until the reservoir nearly topped off and began bleeding, starting with the front right side. Got out some bubbles then some clean fluid and moved to the front left side.

Again got some bubbles out then some clean fluid. I started to get some pedal too. Began to show pressure at about 75% pressed down.

Yes, this is going well! Moved to the rear and found that no fluid at all was coming out of either side. I hadn’t yet replaced the rear soft lines, as the inward connections look nearly impossible to access. The left side especially, seeing as how it connects to the tee in the hard line.

But I got the outer connection loose on the left side soft line and began the struggle with the inner connection. Got a wrench on it, but felt like I would tweak the hard line before getting the soft line disconnected. Oddly, zero fluid came out of the soft line when disconnected.

Decided to give the brake pedal a few pumps to see if any fluid would exit the rear line, when I heard a pop and a bubbling of fluid down at the floorboard near the pedal assembly. Pulled back the carpet to find the hard line badly corroded near the pedals. DAMN. my fault for not digging deeper into the car first.

The pop you felt/heard was probably the steel line going to the rear brakes. Going off your pics it looks pretty crusty with rust, and that line section will need to be replaced. I'd do it in 2 sections of line, and I'd wrap some tape around one end and feed it in from the brass tee fitting into the car. Then I'd feed the front half into the car, around the pedal cluster and using a line connector join them somewhere under the drivers seat, or under the rear seat. This way IF you ever have to replace the front section of line you can just replace it.

Mon Jan 15, 2024 5:12 pm

You are correct. The main hard line is corroded and popped under pressure.

I like the idea of a two-piece main line.

I’ve just purchased the full hard line kit from ISP West, so I I’ll struggle with that first.

Tue Jan 16, 2024 2:02 pm

Scotty D wrote: You are correct. The main hard line is corroded and popped under pressure.

I like the idea of a two-piece main line.

I’ve just purchased the full hard line kit from ISP West, so I I’ll struggle with that first.

If you go with 1 long line, start at the rear first. I only say that as the line runs at an angle from under the seat out to that brass tee for the rear lines to connect. It's easier to do that end first with the other end not attached to anything. Then feed it thru the front bulkhead behind the pedals out to the master cylinder. I know that end looks hard, but it's a lot easier than doing the rear part due to the angle of the line in the rear (plus you can't see it). Just my take on it, and yes I've done it several times on a few type 3's (both 2 pc and 1 pc lines).

Tue Jan 16, 2024 3:52 pm

Thanks Bob!

I just watched a video of a guy installing his hard line exactly as you’ve mentioned. I’m hoping that since I’m buying a new tee connection and all of the other hard lines, I’ll be able to cut out the old line and remove it. Then work on removing the old tee connector with the old soft lines still attached to it.

I didn’t remove the rear lines early on for fear of breaking the main line at the tee due to the inability to keep it from twisting in such a tight space. I’m guessing it’ll be much nicer dealing with all new components vs the rusted stuck OG parts. Fingers crossed.

Looking for some tube benders today on my way home just in case.

Thu Jan 18, 2024 4:22 pm

Yup, working with new lines and hoses are a lot easier, as you can bend them to whatever shape you need, versus breaking the old lines when bending them.

Thu Jan 18, 2024 4:26 pm

Bobnotch wrote: Yup, working with new lines and hoses are a lot easier, as you can bend them to whatever shape you need, versus breaking the old lines when bending them.

Well, that was the plan. ISP West definitely ships quickly, my parts have arrived just two days after ordering them (I'm also in SoCal).

But the hard lines included (bar two of them) seem WAY too short to work as intended. I wonder if the '73 brake system is different?

I'll work on the main line, probably replace the tee and all of the soft lines, but I'm not sure about the rear hard lines. I'll check the originals out for flow and rust issues, and go from there. Hope to be in and under The Pickle this weekend.

Damn I realize how funny that sounds. LOL

Fri Jan 19, 2024 6:29 am

Out with the old brake lines…

Fri Jan 19, 2024 6:39 am

Routing the new main line is a bit of a task.

Started with the rear section first, coming from the front of the cabin I had to feed it though the gap between the inner seat rail and the tunnel. It can’t just lay down from above as the top of the rail basically bridges over to the tunnel.