The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 47 3/4 ton-- No brakes!!!

I have a 47 3/4 ton Chevy that I cannot get brakes without pumping pedal a few times. The question is, does this model have wheel cylinder bleed screws? This one does not have one on any wheel so I bled them by loosening the line where it goes into the back of the cylinder but I don't think this is getting air out of the wheel cylinder, only the line. It looks like there is a place where a bleed screw should be but they are not there. Are they all missing, could they be broken off or is there something to buy that fits in there to bleed them? There is no fluid leak on any wheel. thanks for the info!!!! slowgoer

Sometimes, they removed to keep them from collecting dirt, you need to get new ones to put in then bleed system as usual. They make small rubber dust caps for the bleeder screws, always a good idea.

If they have been removed what is keeping dirt and trash from getting into the wheel cylinder?

Some of the old bleeder screws had a center section that could be removed. The ones on my 1 Ton are like that and the centes are missing. If you are not using a bleeder hose it makes no difference. When the bleeder is closed, nothing can go in or come out. Your wheel cylinders do have bleeders but maybe the exterior is broken off.

Sounds like there is (a) air in the lines or (b) a leak in the lines or (c) both.

Your lack of bleeder screws raises a huge red flag marked "danger" in seven languages.

The backs of your cylinders should look like this and this . If you have no bleeder screws, that's BAD. It's probably why you've got no pedal.

I would probably do 'ye olde brake job' to make sure that they didn't fail on me while I was driving it.

Either that, or make darn sure that my Emergency Brake Lever was hooked up and working.

Looks like it's time for new wheel cylinders. The bleeders have more than likely been broken off. In my opinion, it's time to start fresh,
Scott

It looks like there is a shoulder that stands out about 1/4" but there is nothing in the center of it. Does that sound like the ones with removable centers or broken ones? If this is the removable type where can I get the centers? I would like to try that before buying new cylinders, they are outrageous on 3/4 ton trucks!! thanks for all the advice!!!

Where are you shopping?

I think that I paid $100 for all four cylinders last summer. My FLAPS even had them in stock. Of course, that price may have been the fact that they had them and weren't moving them...

[looks at pricing on American Classic]

Yeah. I think that must be it. Those Buggers ARE expensive.

Your FLAPS should have bleeder screws. I'm pretty sure that they're all standardized.

If they do not have the bleeder screws, American Classic has them.

you have to have bleeders so they must be broken off,,bleeding the line at the cyl willnot do the job of air bleeding from the cyl..you can remove the cyls and soak in a rust buster and try to remove the bleeders with a easy out,,if you drill the bleed be carefull if you go to deep you will get into the bleeder seat and the cyl will be junk..how costly are the cyls???I have a parts store that seems to get my brake parts for older treasures...doc

Provided that the brakes are a stock Huck setup, then here is pricing for my favorite two vendors:

American Classic has them for $34 ea and $62 ea for front and rear, respectively.

Jim Carter has them for $31.83 ea for the fronts and $47.03 ea for the rears. These are sale prices, FYI.

After seeing the pictures sent here I decided to take one off and see what I had up close. This is the embarrasing part. All the bleeder screws were there but just covered very well with 60 years of crud. The twelve point wrench I was trying to turn them with originally would not break them and they looked like they were smooth and solid with no hole in center so I assumed they were broken off but after getting them off and hitting them with a wire brush for a while, I could see they were there, just full of hardened grease, mud, oil and who knows what else. Got them all broken loose, cleaned out and re-installed and bled. Now I have good brakes. thanks for all the info and pictures.