The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Need '41-46 pick-up brake bleeding help please

I rebuilt the master cylinder on the '42 Chevy pick-up I'm working on and installed new brake lines. Now I want to fill the system full of fluid and bleed the brakes but I'm not having much luck right off the bat. The brake pedal doesn't travel all the way down to the floor for one thing - it only goes about 2/3 of the way down then I seem to run out of travel on the MC pushrod. I don't know if this is normal or whether something is out of adjustment. The pushrod of the MC is only so long and has very little threads to adjust with.

Also, the brake pedal doesn't seem to be pushing any fluid thru the system. Granted the lines are all empty, but I still think I should feel some resistance and the pedal shouldn't just drop down to 4" above the floor. I'm thinking part of the problem could be the MC needs to be bled somehow, but I don't know how.

Any help in getting things going on this would be much appreciated.

Is this an original setup?
The piston needs to come all the way back to recharge with fluid for the next stroke. If it is not it will never work.
If the pedal is not going all the way to the floor this sounds like what may be happening.

Yes, it's an original set-up. It feels like the pushrod is bottoming out and that is what is keeping the pedal from going down any further.

I get the feeling you have the wrong piston in the cylinder.
Did you compare the new and old parts?

I can't remember it was so long ago. This has been a long project. I can't even remember for sure where I got my rebuild kit from. What you are saying makes sense though. Do you have the part number of a kit that is the right one for these old trucks that I could get locally?

I think part of the problem with restoring the '41-46 trucks is people keep trying to sell me stuff for the '47-54 series trucks since those parts are easier to get. Half the time they work and half the time they don't. That might be what happened here.

I'm also having trouble getting the clutch adjusted properly and I'm wondering if I was sold the throwout bearing for the later series of trucks, and it isn't right for the older trucks.

LOL... I had the same problem with my 46 1/2 ton .....you have to take the rod out and move that little clip so it will pump, I couldnt figure it out either when I first did mine, drove me nuts, take off the rubber and you'll see what I mean.... I've been thru the ringer putting my truck together

Dorman #TM3626
Raybestos #MK3
Wagner #MK3626
Bendix #22999

How tall is your throwout bearing?