The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts '52 4400 Brakes

Drove the 4400 dumptruck this last weekend. Had an exciting moment when I went to stop and brake pedal went all the way to the floor. Parking brake on the driveline stopped me from heading down a hill. Backed up and parked it by the shop and took the master cylinder cover off an it was close to bone dry with plenty of rusty looking schmegma in it.

I topped it off, pumped the brakes a few times and it does stop now - (I know - it aint right, but I am using off road on mostly level ground for now)

At any rate, I am going to go through the entire brake system and bring up to snuff with new/rebuilt parts. A quick check of the catalogs I have proved the point mentioned earlier that these bigger trucks don't get much respect.

Can anyone give me the short and skinny on what I am in for on this project? Are rebuild kits available for the wheel cylinders? Brake shoes? Master Cylinder? Flex lines?

Try these numbers at your NAPA store. These are out of the '88 "Older Model Vehicles" catalog; the newer book doesn't list some of these parts, but I just checked with the local NAPA store and they're still good numbers.

1-1/4" Master cylinder kit--#33

1-3/8" front wheel cylinder kit--#77

1-1/2" rear wheel cylinder kit--#147 if ring type cups, #195 if solid cups

flexible brake hoses, front and rear--#4497

Shoes, not listed. Get your cores re-lined through the NAPA store or at a clutch & brake supply house. If you can't locate someone in your area, get back to me and I'll give you some names & numbers.

Joe

Joe - Your are da MAN!!!

I pick up master cylinder rebuild kit, front wheel cylinder rebuild kits and flex hoses tomorrow at noon at the NAPA across the street from my office

I'll figure out the rear wheel cylinders after I get them apart, but both are in stock in the Portland warehouse.

Thanks!

Glad to be able to help.

If I can be of further assistance, just let me know.

Joe

Ken, I just bought a set of rear shoes for my 2 ton at a very reasonable price from a guy on ebay. His ad says he has 3000 sets of assorted shoes so he may have more for the big trucks. The ad says contact him with requests and he'll put them on Ebay. Might be worth a shot.
Ebay ad

Charlie

Joe - I just looked at your truck, beautiful 3/4 ton you have.

Charlie - thanks for the tip, I'll check it out.

Ken

Ken ,most big cities have brake reliners who will take care of the shoes for reasonable cost,the hydraulic stuff can be found as the other mentioned.
I've done a lot of big truck brake work, buy a wheel dolly for the dealing with the rear duals, a lot easier and saves the new seals from damage. When you're done with it, use it for other purposes or sell it.Follow the manual on the rear wheel bearing adjustment, the bearings get a heavy preload, around 60 ft lbs.And carefully inspect the rear wheel bearings especially if you drive it on roads, they are generally rust pitted.GM uses barrel shaped rollers, they can be tough to locate, but a bearing distributer can match up more common tapered bearings,probably.Brakes are fun, crude and the end result is very gratifing if done correctly.

I would rebuild or replace everything, wheel cylinders, master, rubber lines, steel lines etc. I would reshoe your brakes over buying replacements. The new ones are bonded, not rivetted, giving longer life with better friction material. You wouldn't know how old replacement shoe material is or amount of asbestos it contains. Most places can get it done the same day unless they have to send them out.
That's my recommendation,
Scott

Rebuild kits can be had most places, just a spring, two rubber piston seals and cups for outer cylinder. BUT most times you wish you could get the pistons too, but can't, and the cylinders I have done, never clean up the rust pits and are no good. SO, kit prices blown for no good reason. I have found some cylinders on Chevy Duty's site, usually the fronts, as they are same as rears on some 1 tons and such. Rears are usually double cylinders after 53 or so, and each diff, and harder to find. May need to try Obsolete parts in Wisconsin for them or ask around more. If you have the older one cyl. Huck type, easier to find those. Maybe Bow Tie Bits in OK? or somewhere down south there may have these. Carter's sometimes does, call them. Expect to pay $70 to $90 each maybe more now, been awhile since I've done mine. I get my shoes recovered locally at a brake parts shop. They clean and look like new with coating on them and all. About $25-30 each shoe last time.

...sometimes you see interesting URLs in people's .sig files...

The front wheel cylinder kits came with new pistons, springs and seals as did the master cylinder kit. (I didn't buy the rears yet till I figure out exactly what I have)

I was surprised at how much $ they were. The kits work out to about $24 a wheel and the hoses were $24 each as well. and the master cylinder rebuild kit was in the same ball park.

I needed a good laugh! Thanks Joe!