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| | | | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 171 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 171 | So my dad and I are trying to figure out what is wrong with our front driver's side drum on our '54 1/2 ton. If we bleed the wheel cylinder the wheel will turn smoothly. If we apply the brake pedal the shoes grab and the wheel locks. However, when we release the brake pedal the wheel does not free up. It is almost like the fluid can't flow back towards the master cylinder. Has anyone else had this kind of problem? If so, what did you do to fix it? The shoes, springs and other brake hardware appear to be in good condition. If we need a new brake line, is is easy enough and cheaper to make our own, or will we have to buy a whole new steel line set? Thanks. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | Greg,
The flex hose going to that brake could have become soft and separated internally. This will allow the brake fluid to expand the wheel cylinder on brake application, but the hose can collapse and restrict fluid movement that allows the wheel cylinder to retract, or relax.
Stuart | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | Stuart's got it, it's definetly a bad hose. best bet will be to replace all the rubber lines.
Bill Burmeister
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 171 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 171 | You guys seem pretty sure--so I guess I'll have to look into getting new hoses. Any suggestions on where to get them? Thanks for your help. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 637 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 637 | I just bought all three hoses from NAPA | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | When I took my front brakes apart, I found rubber from the hoses, inside the fitting on the wheel cylinders. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 96 Member | | Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 96 | I agree with replacing the rubber hoses but I have had to remove and clean-out the metal lines as well as clean/rebuild the wheel cylinders in order to get everything working correctly. You can have deteriorating rubber that has clogged other parts and you can have clogged metal lines too. I would start at the master and make sure all hoses and lines are replaced or thoroughly clog-free. | | | | | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 171 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 171 | Thanks for the responses. We are going to replace the rubber hoses, so hopefully that will fix our problem. While we are doing that, is there an easy way to check for clogs in the metal brake lines? Couldn't one make a determination by observing how easily the fluid flows out of the line once we seperate the rubber hoses? | | |
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