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| | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 116 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 116 | My new ton-and-half has been sitting for a while...don't know how many years. What's the chances of the hydrovac unit working satisfactorily? I'm just interested in driving in the pasture for now...not a restoration. I was hoping to just clean and hone all the wheel cylinders, master, and slave...and flush out the old gunk bleed.
Jim | | | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,961 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,961 | The chances are very good that your hydrovac needs rebuilding too. If you get the wheel cylinders and master cylinder and lines cleaned up and don't want to mess with the hydrovac just now, you can bypass the hydrovac. You will have enough brakes to stop and hold the vehicle, but it will take a lot more pedal effort. | | | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 116 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 116 | That's a great idea! Thanks for the advice. I can get the ole girl stopping so I can move her around and play with her, and piddle on the hydrovac at my leasure. Thanks again!
Jim | | | | | Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 154 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 154 | I have a 1946 big bolt. When I got the truck the wheel cylinders were leaking bad with lot of brake fluid on the floor after sitting over night. No brake peddle to work with period.
I replaced all the wheel cylinders, and brake linning. I also rebuilt the master cylinder.
This was all done as soon as I got the truck some five years ago. I now have brakes enough to through a person through the wind shild and I did not touch the hydrovac. maybe I just got lucky but all is in working order.
The truck I have is a fire truck which has been housed most of it's entire life. maybe that adds to the life of the hydrovac or not I do not no.
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 116 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 116 | Last night I discovered that someone had blocked off the rear brakes to my truck. I pulled the front wheels and the drums and shoes look like new! The wheel cylinders were frozen. I had to drive the pistons out of their bores. After I got them honed and all cleaned up, they too look like new. I could stand to replace the hoses to the front wheels, but for now, just puttin' around the pasture, I think they'll be fine. When it's ready for highway driving, I'll do it right. I've by-passed the hydrovac and will just use the front brakes at the moment...should keep me from running into the barn!!!
Jim | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | Why not change the front hoses now? Your only looking a about $20-$30 bucks. Do it now and be done with it.
Bruce | | | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 116 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 116 | That's a lot of money to me right now. | | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,878 . | | . Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,878 | Think of all the money you can loose when you unintentionally run into something because you thought you could stop.
Brakes are not a good place to skimp.
Save your money for a few weeks then buy the brake lines.
Grigg | | |
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