The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Brake bleed on an old truck

I'm just starting on a 1942 1.5 ton Chevrolet 4x4 military truck with a PTO dump box. There is air in the brake lines. I plan to use a pressure pot and bleed through the master cylinder with a special adapter. Question is: should I back off the adjusters before bleeding? My partner in this rig thinks there could be a problem that could result in the shoes not being able to retract. I assume this has the huck brakes, but don't have a Manual covering this truck to research it. There is a hydrovac booster to contend with too. Thanks for any ideas. This truck is so ugly it's a real beauty as well as a good soldier. :confused:

The basic service on these is to tighten the brakes until the shoes start to drag and then back off 4(four) notches. and then bleed. do this on all wheels.
ps
I almost forgot- If you have the "stud adjuster"- turn till shoes drag and back off 3/4 turn.

Does this truck have two adjuster slots on each backing plate ?? Those huck adjusters have to go clockwise to push the shoe out against the drum. Clockwise as you look at the outside of each end of the wheel cylinder. It will feel as if they are going in two different directions because you look at one end of the cylinder from the front and the other from the rear.

If you back off the adjusters, that will make the retraction distance longer, not shorter. I would adjust them properly , then bleed..

Thanks for the advice. We are trying a "rolling restore" on this to get it movin' off the former owners land without towing. It's a lot easier to sneak them home when they can get there on their own. As the trucks have come home, it's getting harder to jockey trailers and tow dollies here on the hill.

Put it in low range,,,,, you won`t need any brakes!

Tag it, insure it, and get tow insurance. Then call the wrecker and turn it in on the insurance. :p

Luke and Fred are both right. I don't have the exact numbers yet for the axles and transfer case yet, but from the size of those Pumpkins its gotta be a stump puller. Got those tractor tires, and duals on the rear. Think the dump box capacity must be about four yards.

Just an update. We hooked up the pressure pot bleeder to the m.c. at the cap. No go. Pulled the m.c. had a stuck piston, old fluid had turned into jello. Will this be the same in the hydrovac too? We have not pulled that yet. Hoses will probably have to be replaced, don't know about the wheel cylinders but pistons and cups seem to also be froze. Good news is we got it running with all valves going up and down.