The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline New brake cylinder only pushing one rod(?) '51 3100 Help, please.

I replaced both rear wheel cylinders, which were both leaking and in rough shape, a week or so ago. I noticed that my pedal was spongy and I'm not getting good brakes the "first stomp", and having to pump them once or twice to get enough brake. Sometimes it was to to the point that they felt (at first) that they were not going to grab at all, kind of unnerving. So today I decided to get out there and check to see if I have the adjuster screw far enough out. I had mentioned that the shop manual says to turn the screw back 14 clicks after drag is felt, so I thought that may have been too much.
When I got the drivers wheel off, I grabbed a 2x4 and applied the brake pedal while watching the cylinder. It's only pushing out the right (rear) rod, so only the back shoe is moving out to hit the drum. I guess I'll re-bleed them, but I pumped about a pint through both rear cylinders when I bled them last time. These two cylinders were brand new, with the caps still on them when I put them on. (They were parts passed along from the PO, so I don't know where they came from, but I do know he ordered most of his parts through LMC). Any ideas or suggestions as to what's wrong here, or am I missing something that's right in front of my face on this? Thanks in advance for any help on this. Lee

That's not uncommon for one to move with the drum off. If you apply a force to the shoe that moves the other will then move. This is because the spring are not exactly the same tension.

14 clicks seem like to much to me. Maybe 4 clicks or until it just drags. I always tighten till the wheel does not turn easily and then back off till it just drags count the clicks and do the same for the other side

Thanks, Dave. I didn't even think of that (need to push against the drum to activate pressure to other side). Thanks also for the advice on the screw adjustment. I know that the screw on the drivers side is all the way in (loose). The passenger side is staying tight, and I haven't got the drum off yet. I was seriously thinking about getting some different colored paints and painting the star wheel cogs so I can tell if I'm actually getting a click each time, or if I'm slipping off the teeth and not getting any reliable turn counts. Also, I used a Mighty Vac to bleed the brakes, but read on one of the older posts that they may suck air into the line (??), and to use the two man method of a person at the pedal and me at the bleeder. Any thoughts on that? Could I have messed up by using the Mighty Vac?

ok, so I've now bled all four brake cylinders and readjusted the shoes. Went ahead and asked the wife to be my helper and pump that pedal. Funny how I've rehabbed 6 houses, repaired countless vehicles and appliances, worked as an Ironworker and/or welder for nearly my entire adult life to keep this family afloat and to better ourselves, and nowadays just asking her to come sit in a truck and push a pedal for a while can cause such angst. I don't get it. But the brakes are working as well as they're going to, I suppose. Day is done. Gone the sun.

I found that the vacuum type can sortieing suck air past the cups and cause more trouble than they are worth. I subscribe to the one pump crack the bleeder, another pump crack the bleeder. It may seem to take longer but you only do it once