Builds A New 55 Owner Intro (cgn1976 thread) (6 Viewers)

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Make sure your cylinders have the "ramped" slot that the brakes fit into. @jimc had written this up in the GOAT 45 thread Builds - Goat. A 1967 survivor FJ-45 LWB - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/goat-a-1967-survivor-fj-45-lwb.1032660/post-11664896
Some new cylinders do not have them and you have to steal them off of your old cylinders
Thx 63cruiser. Well now that you say that, I did notice a few of the new cylinders didn't fit the shoes quite right. Like you said, seemed to not have the tapered shape. I filed the cylinders slots out a bit to get the shape. Had to file a little off the shoe too, but got them all to fit in. I do have all the old cylinders still, which presumabley have the ramped slot, so I suppose that would be a good move. Gonna read up on that thread a bit here.
 
Thx 63cruiser. Well now that you say that, I did notice a few of the new cylinders didn't fit the shoes quite right. Like you said, seemed to not have the tapered shape. I filed the cylinders slots out a bit to get the shape. Had to file a little off the shoe too, but got them all to fit in. I do have all the old cylinders still, which presumabley have the ramped slot, so I suppose that would be a good move. Gonna read up on that thread a bit here.
Good reading there. I think I have both springs on the back side of the shoes too, which is apparently wrong since I have the reatining clips. Gotta switch that too I suppose!
 
Not to beat on a dead horse, my first 40 was a ‘9/75 build with disk brakes. I bought a new master for a ‘75 based on the date stamp, it had a proportioning valve in the front circuit to keep pressure (~10lbs) on the drums. I didn’t have drums so this was a problem and caused the brakes to lock up. It’s the same master ... sounds to me like you may have the opposite problem. Just a thought -

tucker
 
I called Cruiser outfitters and confirmed the part number is right, for all drums. They were very sure it was my cylinder adjustment and not their master. Working on pulling all the wheels and drums to make sure they are seating right in there.

That said I bench bled and did the lines AGAIN! No air came out on the bench bleed and I was so over the top careful to not get air in the lines. No change. In fact now 3 pumps to get the pedal stiff. Kurt at CO kept saying it has to be cylinder adjustments. I can say this, I can clearly see the fluid drop out of the front reservoir when I push the pedal to the floor, and after like 5 minutes the level is in fact higher so the fluid is getting back into the master. Kurt said that was normal but doesn't seem like things are right. I have more wheels and shoes to check, but I'm really feeling like this master is not working right.

Also on the ramped cylinders, that's apparently 69 and earlier so doesn't apply. I was remembering that the shoes needed to be filed a little width wise to fit the new cylinders. On the wheel I took off today, one was tight in there so I took the shoe off and filed it again. Good fit. One front readjusted and confirmed OK in the drum, but sadly not much change.

More to do before I know anything for sure. I'll report back probably tomorrow or Wed.

Over this!!!
 
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I checked all the hard lines again today. They all look good. They definitely have some undercoating and paint on them from the last resto, but everywhere I peel it, or can see the metal, they are in great shape. No kinks, beds, crushed sections. They really do look fine. Also the brakes have been great since I've had the truck. Only gave me any issue when the booster went and now the damn dominoes keep falling with the whole system.

Gonna go an bleed some more in the morning and see if any air comes out after a night of sitting. I've already done this move twice, and didn't have bubbles come out the next day....but once again trying to get baseline.

I almost bought that pressure bleeder that somebody called out earlier in this thread yesterday. Might pull the trigger there just for good measure, although if there's air in the lines, I'm just way off on what it takes and how many pedal pumps you need to do to get all the air out. I'm going about 15 extra pumps after I stop seeing bubbles just to be safe. Should I be doing more?
 
It’s gonna depend on how far up the system air was introduced. If you removed lines from the wheel cylinder and master cylinder, you’ll initially see a lot of air from the open wheel cylinder line, but could take many more cycles to get air from the opening at the master to finally reach the bleeder.

Now that the master has been confirmed to have no air, go through the bleed process you’ve been doing about 3 or 4 cycles. Plan on 3 - 4 quarts of fluid. Gotta be 110% certain there is zero% air left in the lines.
 
Buy this and you'll make bleeding your brakes so much easier. No bench bleeding required. I've done dozens of masters and fluid changes with this. You'll save yourself hours of aggravation.

Motive power bleeder

Toyota adapter
$35 for the bleeder? I always thought they were expensive!
Too bad the adapter is out of stock...
 
Thanks for that guidance. Sounds like I'm not bleeding long enough. I did have to undo both lines at the master to bench bleed so I surely introduced some air right at the start of the line. Gotta grab some more fluid tommorow then see if I can find time to get each drum off again to double check everything is sitting right on the cylinders. Only managed one drum off tonight before family time kicked in. Gotta get the rear springs so one is front and ones behind the shoes anyway.

At least I have a plan for tomorrow now. Lol! Good thing I work from home these days! Once again I can't tell you all how much I appreciate all the help from so many places. Us new guys are pretty dense!
 
Not sure on the bore. I'll check in a bit. Laying here thinking about the potential of just having the cylinders way out of adjustment like the Cruiser Outfitters folks are telling me has me thinking I'm gonna get the truck up and tighten all four corners till none will spin (ie. All shoes pressed against the drums tight) then see what the pedal does. Figure that should tell me if the 2 pedal pumps are extending the cylinders out and I have too much play or if it's pushing air around the lines.

Thinking this could be the soft initial pedal problem but probably not the tightening as I drive it problem, which does still have me thinking master seal issue, but what do I know! Not sure shoes are seated properly in the cylinders so when I've been adjusting them to get drag, thinking maybe the shoes just rubbing on one side but not really fully centered and thus the cylinders aren't adjusted out enough even though I'm getting drag. Also think I may not be adjusting them out enough...maybe not going far enough to get them to not turn at all, before I back them off the 5 or 7 clicks.

That said, I've had them adjusted at times during all of this in the last few weeks where there was too much drag. I can tell because my test drive run out of my neighborhood has a decent steady uphill grade and if I'm too right, I shift into third and can't break 40mph, where as when I'm not rubbing I can accelerate up to about 60. That drag and lack of power has had me probably going too soft on the cylinder outward adjustments because the drivability sucks that way!

Hopefully I can at least rule in or out the cylinder adjustment with this plan. Gonna do it after I drop the kids this morning and before I hit the desk all day! Hopefully good news to report back soon...hell any news at this point would be good! Spinning my wheels here, when all I'm trying to do is to not!!!
 
Well, once I got started I couldn't stop this am. Working late tonight to make up for it. Lol. I tightened all the drums up till they were straight locked up. Opened up the drums on all of them too and got some stuff corrected. A few of the shoes were very tight in the new cylinders, so they couldn't slide back and forth. Pretty sure they were locked in there and therefor wouldn't center up in the drum. Surely part of the issue adjusting them.

Anyway, backed off 5 clicks on all of them, and hit the pedal...and wait for it....felt just about right. Started it and went for a ride. Bliss. Perfect pedal!

For 15 minutes then it started to stiffen again...and round and round we go back to this part of it! It never got so high or tight that it locked up, but I could feel a little extra drag.

Made it home fine. Letting it cool then gonna go on another run and see how it feels at first and after a bit. Haven't had a chance to re bleed it l, but grabbed 4 quarts ready to blast through. Does air in the lines cause this issue? Doesn't seem like it would.

I did extend the booster pin a tad, so maybe backing it to where I had it would drop the pedal a bit, however the question is, will it just tighten up that much more regardless. Seems like the answer has been yes this far but I'll try since I have a few things corrected. Gotta go back and see if I can figure out what's causing this tightening of the pedal as I drive thing!

Im on frickin teter totter over here, but at least I know a little more and have a few potential things figured out, which is a step in the right direction I guess. I'm sure the pig gods are getting a good laugh at this one!
 
I think you said you got a new booster? Is the vacuum line new too? Check for vacuum leaks maybe?
 
Might be time for a Man-a-fre front disc, monte carlo rear disc, and a GM hydroboost.
 
I think you said you got a new booster? Is the vacuum line new too? Check for vacuum leaks maybe?
Yes on the new booster. I checked the line for leaks at install and didn't have any. That siad, i used the old hose clamp too. Maybe that's letting a little air around. I'll drop the big $.50 and replace that lol.
 
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I am assuming you have coarse spline because you are drummed. The man a fre kit works with that. If you go mini truck or later Toyota you are changing your birfs, lockers and a few other things.

The hydro is probably not worth it if you dont have power steering already. Unless you want PS then I would do it in a heart beat.
The Monte Carlo kit seems plug n play, but I do not know because I have a dana44 rear end and have a different disc setup.
 

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