More Questions about CJ Brakes

[Mudrat]

Hey,
P.S. I'll fix the picture in the mod forum :)
-Dave

Why? I did for ya
And go ahead and give me a call if you want - but I would suggest looking at the Brakes links I gave above ... I had to replace my p-valve when I went to disks in the rear from TSMMFG and still have the stock unit if you need it.

Pat

[dbesade]

Okay here is the news,

I got under there, sprayed all the drums with brake cleaner, adjusted them all, bled everything 2 times and prayed.

I now can stop *IF* I ump the brakes. This seems like a brake booster issue to me, what do you guys think, I have one on the way so I am thinking I finally have this issue licked! Thanks for all the help!

-Dave

[fuzz401]

when you bleed the brakes are you pumping them or just pushing them after the bleeded is opened = pumping is not good it can make the fluid foam up = air in the lines

[dbesade]

When I bleed the brakes,

I am pumping the pedal until it gets firm-ish (as firm as it will get), holding it there, and opening the bleeder screw, (still holding) let the fluid/air out, retighten the bleeder screw, release the brake pedal.

-Dave

[Goose]

Well This will sound stupid.. and it has nothing to do with your spongy pedal travel.. but I noticed in an earlier post you mention that the brake hardware was in backwards...Umm (and this is not a bust on you) Are you SURE?? I have put the shoes in back wards a time or two cause I was convinced.. they were in wrong.. and since most of the braking effort on a drum brake comes from the "camming" action of the shorter shoe vs the long shoe..if you have them in reversed, you wont get any braking action with ten boosters..

Believe me I have been convinced they were right and found they were wrong.. and you dont have to actually admit it..

[dbesade]

I replaced them via the instructions in my Haynes Manual and then checked them against the front brakes (which match the manual). I am 100% Positive the shoes are facing in the right direction.

-Dave

[dbesade]

More updates,

OKay I found a Jeeper near my house (finally), he came by and we bled the brakes another 4 more times, spewed a ton of air out, good stuff now I replaced the grommet on the power brake booster as well as the connector for the vacuum hose so thats all fixed (was leaking vacuum) and now, again, NO brake power.

At this point I am thinking I might install the original master cylinder again and re-bleed the brakes, see if that makes any difference in brake power. It makes no sense, the only thing that could be not working is the master cylinder, its very possible that even though its new, it could be defective.

Question now, do I try bench bleeding the new Master Cylinder again to make sure there is no air inside or do I just reinstall the old one (does the old one need re-bench bled as well?).

Thanks
-Dave

[Mudrat]

A: Install the MC,
B: fill it, open each wheel bleeder, and
C: get a beer.

Come back, check the level in the MC and look to see if your leaking DOT3.
If no = Repeat step 'C'.
If yes = shut that valve, then Repeat step 'C'.

Repeat as necessary until:
1 - 'C' is empty
2 - all bleeder valves have leaked and are secured

Test brakes in the driveway - if this process took a long time (it's called gravity bleeding) step 'C' will have filled the dwell time between steps 'A' and step #2 which will create additional issues with the operation of your Jeep. It is NOT recommended to proceed past your mail box

But like I said earlier - I've had newly rebuilt MCs be bad from the git-go

[dbesade]

Hey Guys,

before I went to work this morning I figured I'd see what happened after I replaced that Grommet and elbow for the booster, welp, NO vacuum leak anymore, in fact, with the engine off, I can hear the diaphragm and the pedal gets way stiff like it should and on top of that the brakes work a ton better with the engine off.

Now when I turned it over, pedal to the floor way easily and no stopping power. This either means air (unlikely) or a fouled Master Cylinder. Whatchya think Mudrat, think I got a bad new master cylinder, you said it happened to you.

-Dave

[Mudrat]

Whatchya think Mudrat, think I got a bad new master cylinder, you said it happened to you.

-Dave

Yup - OR your ported to absolute vacuum and not just an assist - but you can't stop and that scenerio would have you pull'n against brakes that were set by vacuum, and it would affect both front and rear brakes, not just your drums.

If it isn't the MC, I'm out of suggestions.

Good luck and let us know.