You’re re doing the rear brakes on your 69 fj40

[cruiseroutfit]

Despite things looking well, it seems one cylinder might be leaking and one has a frozen adjuster. I’ll hop on cruiserteq.com and get a couple new ones, but not going to upgrade the whole thing at this point. Not sure what rear bottom is, but I think it’s rear/rear.

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FAQ: Which cylinder is the top and which is bottom?
Each wheel cylinder applies force to either the top or bottom drum brake shoe while its opposite end acts as the adjuster nut for the opposite shoe. The wheel cylinder mounted towards the front of the vehicle is the top wheel cylinder and the wheel cylinder mounted towards the rear/back of the vehicle is the bottom wheel cylinder

 

[Pighead]

one has a frozen adjuster.

Speaking of frozen adjusters, one thing that helped me tremendously in the long run, put a thin layer of Anti-seize on all surfaces of the adjusters that contact other metals. This helps keep future adjusting smooth, precise and easy

 

[6f40j9]

FAQ: Which cylinder is the top and which is bottom?
Each wheel cylinder applies force to either the top or bottom drum brake shoe while its opposite end acts as the adjuster nut for the opposite shoe. The wheel cylinder mounted towards the front of the vehicle is the top wheel cylinder and the wheel cylinder mounted towards the rear/back of the vehicle is the bottom wheel cylinder

That’s interesting. The front cylinder has the adjuster on the top so that means it pushes on the bottom shoe, but is somehow still the ‘top’ cylinder.
Wouldn’t it be simpler to just say front/rear, as they’re oriented on the backing plate?

 

[6f40j9]

Good plan to start putting some Kroil on the fitting and mounting bolts now. I did the bolts on the outside and some on the inside to allow it to crawl in the bolt from both ends. A proper opened flare nut wrench is the only way to go.

Yes. The first one came off pretty easy. I hit it with some pb blaster beforehand. Haven’t gotten to the second one yet.

 

[6f40j9]

Between cruiserteq and Spector, hopefully my (rear) brake woes will be sorted soon.
Next to figure out why the front (aftermarket disc) brakes aren’t working very well.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Between cruiserteq and Spector, hopefully my (rear) brake woes will be sorted soon.
Next to figure out why the front (aftermarket disc) brakes aren’t working very well.

Sweet, let us know if there is anything we can help with there too. We stock a wide variety of front axle brake parts, cylinder, complete calipers, shoes, pads, hardware kits, etc!

 

[6f40j9]

Sweet, let us know if there is anything we can help with there too. We stock a wide variety of front axle brake parts, cylinder, complete calipers, shoes, pads, hardware kits, etc!

It’s got wilwood calipers on it, not sure where a model number would be to order pads but I’ll dive into it soon.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

It’s got wilwood calipers on it, not sure where a model number would be to order pads but I’ll dive into it soon.

Ah, we don't deal in any of the GM/Wilwood brake conversion parts but they are readily available once you sort what it has.

 

[6f40j9]

you guys rock.

 

[6f40j9]

So I’ve bled, adjusted, bled, bled the master, bled again… and am right back to where I was before the (rear) fluid mysteriously disappeared the last time I drove it.
I cannot get first pump pressure. The second and third pump are fine. I can’t find any leaks.
I replaced (1) wheel cylinder on each rear wheel (the front ones)- one was frozen and one was possibly leaking.
I also replaced the hard pipe between the two cylinders on the left side.
Gonna dive into the fronts next (which didn’t lose fluid, but didn’t work when the rears failed, either).

 

[charliemeyer007]

So two things come to mind air in the system or the shoes need to be set farther out for the issue of no pedal until 2nd or 3rd pump.
Master cylinders can leak internally or into the vacuum booster.
Warped drums will prevent you from setting the shoes out properly.

The new wheel cylinders all leak threw the bleeder screw threads when trying to use a mighty vac unit to bleed the units. Aviation Permatex sealant type 2 b will fix that - or use a pressure bleeder on the MC.

 

[6f40j9]

So two things come to mind air in the system or the shoes need to be set farther out for the issue of no pedal until 2nd or 3rd pump.
Master cylinders can leak internally or into the vacuum booster.
Warped drums will prevent you from setting the shoes out properly.

The new wheel cylinders all leak threw the bleeder screw threads when trying to use a mighty vac unit to bleed the units. Aviation Permatex sealant type 2 b will fix that - or use a pressure bleeder on the MC.

I’m going to adjust them out more. I did the ‘all the way, then back ~4 clicks’. There’s some drag still.
No mighty vac. Old school pump/hold/crack bleeder.
It’s a new master last year, hopefully it’s still good.

 

[John McVicker]

My opinion is that 4 clicks is WAY too many. Way, way.

This is what works for me on my 2/75 40 with all 4 drum brakes:

A. Tighten each wheel until it won’t turn
B. Back off 1-2. Clicks
D. W/o touching the brakes, go for a 1 mile ride & COAST to a stop on the side of the road. Obviously pre plan your route.
E. Jump out & feel your brake drum (all 4). I want them warm to the touch…not hot & not cold.
F. Make any adjustments needed in order to feel warm drums. Go for another test run & repeat until you have the feel that is right for you. Might take several tries for you to be happy.

Four drum brakes on a 40 are a major pain to adjust but this is what has worked the best for me over the years. Still a major pain but it works. Yes your drums will be a little warm for a while, but after a few miles the heat eventually goes away…and you have your shoes as close as possible to the drums for great pedal feel.


You won’t find this in our Manuel but it works. I think I got this way to do it from videos from Pin Head.

 

[pb4ugo]

You can isolate whether air is in the frt or rear by carefully adjusting vise grips and clamp the rubber hose. You want to stop the flow but not crush the hose. If the pedal is better when the rear hose is clamped, air is in rear. Then check the frt. I haven't run drums in decades, but this subject pops up quite often. I read a lot of folks are successful by adjusting the brakes to the max, so the pistons can't move. Then they bleed. Once done they'll adjust per fsm.

 

[charliemeyer007]

Oh and I rasp a bevel on the edges of the shoe material when I put them in - cuts down on the false drag of new shoes.

 

[6f40j9]

My opinion is that 4 clicks is WAY too many. Way, way.

This is what works for me on my 2/75 40 with all 4 drum brakes:

A. Tighten each wheel until it won’t turn
B. Back off 1-2. Clicks
D. W/o touching the brakes, go for a 1 mile ride & COAST to a stop on the side of the road. Obviously pre plan your route.
E. Jump out & feel your brake drum (all 4). I want them warm to the touch…not hot & not cold.
F. Make any adjustments needed in order to feel warm drums. Go for another test run & repeat until you have the feel that is right for you. Might take several tries for you to be happy.

Four drum brakes on a 40 are a major pain to adjust but this is what has worked the best for me over the years. Still a major pain but it works. Yes your drums will be a little warm for a while, but after a few miles the heat eventually goes away…and you have your shoes as close as possible to the drums for great pedal feel.


You won’t find this in our Manuel but it works. I think I got this way to do it from videos from Pin Head.

If I didn’t live on the top of a hill and it weren’t parked in the back for the winter, I’d give that a shot
I will tighten them up and bleed again though.

 

[majdomo]

+1 on the 4 clicks being way too much. I think I did mine to about 1-2 MAX. Feels like more drag than it should be on my rig. Mine will put your nose on the glass if you give it some muscle.

 

[6f40j9]

+1 on the 4 clicks being way too much. I think I did mine to about 1-2 MAX. Feels like more drag than it should be on my rig. Mine will put your nose on the glass if you give it some muscle.

Before, the rears would lock up before the fronts (discs) would kick in. I put an adjuster thing in line to tone it down. Maybe the fronts never have worked

 

[majdomo]

Before, the rears would lock up before the fronts (discs) would kick in. I put an adjuster thing in line to tone it down. Maybe the fronts never have worked

On that - I had a hell of a time bleeding my drums. It was mostly adjustment, but one of the bleeders would not allow fluid to flow for anything. Eventually found some trash in one of the front brake lines, cleared that and it was fine. They were a total pain to set up but work great now.

 

[6f40j9]

On that - I had a hell of a time bleeding my drums. It was mostly adjustment, but one of the bleeders would not allow fluid to flow for anything. Eventually found some trash in one of the front brake lines, cleared that and it was fine. They were a total pain to set up but work great now.

I’m glad I have the dual reservoir master, it cuts down on some of the headaches. I’m going to adjust them out all the way and bleed again. The bleeders seem to do fine.
Then attack the fronts.