The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts brakes on my 2 ton

working on the brakes on recently bought 1949 chevy 2 ton. Filled reservoir last fall , no brakes . This summer reservoir still full
won't even pump up. What do I do? would like to update master cylinder / hydrovac if possible . Help needed. I assume I start at replacing the
master cylinder ?

Hy Charles Pretzer, I think you should try bleeding the brakes. Do you have a manual for your truck? If you don't have a manual I'm sure one of the helpful gentleman confusilator gurus on here will provide a link to one. While bleeding keep checking for leaks in the metal tubing and rubber flex lines. On a truck of this age I would do a complete brake system overhaul just to make sure everything is working as it should and you and others on the road around you are safe.

if there is no brake pressure and you've already pumped the pedal down to the max, good chance you "broke" the master brake cylinder. most old systems brake cups are very sensitive.. so an MBC overhaul is very likely.

Charles, go through the bleeding and adjusting procedure as described in the Shop Manual.

If that gets you no pedal, then you will have determine what part/parts are bad:

brake lines
wheel cylinders
master cylinder
hydrovac

I agree, it sounds like you have air in the system. If you are taking it out on the road, and don't know when the last time stuff was rebuilt or replaced, I would start with a master cylinder rebuild, new steel and rubber brake lines and pull all wheel cylinders apart and at a bare minimum, put kits in them. All that listed above should be able to be done for about 100$. If you need actual wheel cylinders, then price will go up.

As others have instructed, follow the bleeding instructions in the manual.

Oh and i just thought of another posibility; when I added Powered brakes to my 69 C10, the standard brake rod wasn't long enough. So i modified it and made it adjustable so I could put the correct amount of pre-pressure with the brake pedal in up position, because my pedal would hit iron at first before I got pressure.

I am following this thread because I have a similar situation.
69 Cuda, where does one find the parts to rebuild the brakes in these big bolts?
Mike
Not tying to hijack thread just curious about this.

Hy Lightningtruck, if you tell us exactly what you are dealing with and which components of the braking system you are looking for we will do our best to help you. Please start your own thread on the subject.

10-4. Thanks!

O.K.!! so ,the plunger n the master cylinder was stuck. Put in a new M.C. now I have good brakes

Lightningtruck,

You may also check what big brakes you have. Some of the Canadian market brakes where different. I'm not a huge expert, but I believe one of the differences where how many bolts hold the drum to the hub. I make a disc brake conversion kit and one of the kits I shipped did not work on the canadian market truck due to 5 bolts holding the drum on versus the 6 bolts for US market.

Hope that helps a little bit,

R domeck, thanks!
C Pretzer,
You replaced the master and then bleed as per instructions and all is well?
That's awesome!
Your hydro vac is hooked up?
That's a big accomplishment on a big truck.
Mike

a lot of the parts for these big trucks (cylinder kits) can be found at either Rock Auto or Napa, as can the flexible brake hoses. Hard lines, make your own, or buy pre-made lengths and bend them yourself.