Took old Uncle Skip's usually good advice (unless it pertains to an oil company, he is a little slanted that way ) and installed dot 5 silicone brake fliud in my all new brake system.
Bled and bled and bled that sucker, still cant get constant brake pressure. Can't find a leak anywhwere. Then I remembered back in the dark archives of my memory, back from when the wife would let me touch her, it's that long ago,, when someone said "you have to pull the little valve out on a Ford proportioning valve when bleeding the brakes". I didn't do that.
What does the little valve do? And is this true or has my corrupted hard drive of a memory got this wrong...
It's a race.. Will hell freeze over or will JC finish his truck first. Stay tuned..
JC I think the little valve thingy is only needed after bleeding the brake light is still on that lets the valve center itself. Did you start at the right rear bleeding till you had clear fluid running and not run out of fluid in the process? Then the left rear then the right front then left front?
Yep thats how I bled 'em. 4 times now that's how I bled 'em. Bought this whole deal off Master Power brakes 4 years ago. guess my warranty has expired, in case it's the master cylinder that's hooped.
It's a race.. Will hell freeze over or will JC finish his truck first. Stay tuned..
i am going to assume (yes i know about assumtions )that:
A. all of the system , mc,lines and wheel cyls/calipers were new and empty.
B. the rear shoes are properly adjusted.
it takes a lot of brake fluid to push all the air out and refill all that space.
who is operating the pedal while you are bleeding? if they are letting the pedal up before the bleeder fitting is closed all the way it can suck air back in.
1966 F250 4x4
1964 Rambler Ambassador 990
Rest in peace departed Slick family members
Cam Milam
Lesley Ferguson
Steve Lopes
John Sutton
It could be the rear shoes. If they are not adjusted out, there is too much travel for the wheel cylinders. On new shoes, I always turn the adjusters all the way out (with the wheel and tire on) until I can't turn the wheel/tire anymore, then back it off until there is a slight drag on the shoe/drum. This centers up the shoes and takes the least amount of fluid to apply the brakes.
Johnny Canuck wrote:Back brake shoes were not adjusted (auto adjusters). my boy was on the pedal, he never let up until I told him to (after I got the bleeders closed).
Yes the entire system is brand new. All of it with the exception of aforementioned 78 prop. valve.
you need to adjust the rear shoes properly or they wont bleed out right.self adjusters are only for keeping them in the correct adjustment as they wear down.
1966 F250 4x4
1964 Rambler Ambassador 990
Rest in peace departed Slick family members
Cam Milam
Lesley Ferguson
Steve Lopes
John Sutton
You guys need to stick to what you know! LOL, Yes, the later model brakes do have a thingy and the shop manual shows the tool you need to hold it out. I made one from a piece of scrap sheet metal and cut a wide slot on the bottom and a narrow slot on the top to hold the valve open. If you do not use the tool you will bleed until the end of time and it won't work. I will try and post a picture later but i have an appointment in 15 minutes so i don't have time to dig for it right now. Hawkrod
Tom. Couldn't you just pull it out and clamp it open with vice grips? and exactly what does it do? Do I have to bleed or can I just pump the brakes a few times with it open to equalize pressure?
looks like this BTW
we are talking about the nipple on the far right
It's a race.. Will hell freeze over or will JC finish his truck first. Stay tuned..
I could be wrong here, as I read up on this many moons/beers ago...
I think the little nipple thing is made to hold the piston inside in a neutral, centered postion while you bleed the brakes. If you start with an imbalance, the piston will be pushed off center & will make it very hard to properly bleed the brakes.
Again, just going from a rusty memory.
My "Slickitis" affliction began here...
66 F100 CC/65 F100 CC/66 F250 CC
If it starts to rain, they'll tax the splash.
If you want to fish, they'll tax the bass.
If you plant a yard, they'll tax the grass.
If you don't play nice, they'll fine your *$#!
If you grab the rod with vice grips you may mar it and it may not back in properly. It is very easy to make a tool and keep it in the toolbox. This is not for centering the switch for the light and will not help center it so you will have to do that as well if you have it hooked up. Hawkrod
Thanks Guys I think you just answered my problem with my 79 brakes set up. I took it to a so called brake specialist who put the truck on some plates recessed into the floor it said that the rear brakes were getting more pressure than the front, so they machined the discs, new pads, one new rear wheel cylinder, parts and labour =$415.00 inc GST, I think its worse now but he said see how that goes it might need more adjusting and the proportioning valve might be cactus let us know how it goes(more like bring it back and we`ll rip you off again)
Alan,
Honey, If I say I`ll fix something I will, there`s no need to remind me every 6 months!!
66 f100 tabletop swb 351 Clevo C6 "Beryl"
WOW learn somethin everyday. Thanx Hawk!! So now tell me....does any fluid come out at this point or does it just put everything in place to properly bleed as usual? Does this valve adjust the pressure frt &rr ? If I put one into a 4 wheel drum setup (so I would have the warning light) would it work correctly?
Tim
INEPTOCRACY: (in-ep'-toc-ra-cy) : a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.
Many thanks to Tom, Ice and the restayas. I will try and adjust out the brakes, think I am gonna get my boy to stomp the brakes a few times while I hold that thing open, then make me a tool.
It's a race.. Will hell freeze over or will JC finish his truck first. Stay tuned..
Fanatic wrote:WOW learn somethin everyday. Thanx Hawk!! So now tell me....does any fluid come out at this point or does it just put everything in place to properly bleed as usual? Does this valve adjust the pressure frt &rr ? If I put one into a 4 wheel drum setup (so I would have the warning light) would it work correctly?
Tim
Tim I dunno if there is a proportioning valve on drum brakes. Usually just a metering block, I think.
Last edited by Johnny Canuck on May 5, 2008, 9:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It's a race.. Will hell freeze over or will JC finish his truck first. Stay tuned..
) and installed dot 5 silicone brake fliud in my all new brake system. 
when someone said "you have to pull the little valve out on a Ford proportioning valve when bleeding the brakes". I didn't do that. 
Bad iceman, no snowcone
Thanks Guys I think you just answered my problem with my 79 brakes set up. I took it to a so called brake specialist who put the truck on some plates recessed into the floor it said that the rear brakes were getting more pressure than the front, so they machined the discs, new pads, one new rear wheel cylinder, parts and labour =$415.00 inc GST, I think its worse now but he said see how that goes it might need more adjusting and the proportioning valve might be cactus let us know how it goes(more like bring it back and we`ll rip you off again) 
