Bleeding brake cylinders on M151A1

[harryhr]

I just replaced the master cylinder and wheel cylinders on my 1967 M151A1. I was recently told that I could not bleed the wheel cylinders by pumping the brake pedal (because it would destroy the rubber in the new cylinder's). How else would I bleed the brake system?

 

[NDT]

Who told you that mis information?

 

[MarkM]

You got some bad info. Easiest way is to have someone help you and bleed the brakes. Start with the wheel cylinder farthest from the master cylinder and work your way up.

Mark

 

[MarkM]

Who told you that mis information?

Don't forget to swap out the winter air in your tires for summer air.

 

[harryhr]

Who told you that mis information?

I went on line looking for diagrams showing wheel cylinders and brake lines, because I was getting ready to fill master cylinder and bleed brakes. I asked how I could do this by myself (bleed the brakes). That's the only answer I got.

 

[harryhr]

Bleeding the brakes using the brake pedal pumping action was the only way I was taught, kinda threw me off.
. Did not sound right to me. Just asking to double check. Oh, and by the way, when I was a young kid, I worked at a gas station, and did have a lady that would come in after winter to have her caris tires replaced with summer air and just before winter had her tires replaced with winter air.

 

[harryhr]

You got some bad info. Easiest way is to have someone help you and bleed the brakes. Start with the wheel cylinder farthest from the master cylinder and work your way up.

Mark

Thank you for the confirmation. Much appreciated.

 

[Mullaney]

Thank you for the confirmation. Much appreciated.

.
AND, if you have a little time, and a trip to the hardware store...
Here is a power bleeder (see attached pics)



This one (down below) is the store bought version with a rubber bladder between the fluid and the air reservoir.

 

[harryhr]

Thanks for the info and pic's, much appreciated. I will check that out.

 

[Mullaney]

Thanks for the info and pic's, much appreciated. I will check that out.

.
The home brew bleeder is a pretty good piece of equipment. It requires a fair amount of fluid to function - and whatever you do - don't let your fluid get too low. When it starts pushing air and bubbles, it will drive you crazy.
The steel ball (commercial bleeder) separates the fluid from the air with a rubber bladder...

 

[GopherHill]

Those steel ball bleeders are rare nowadays I think.

 

[nattieleather]

I use to use a length of broom handle and would push the peddle down, hold it with the handle, go open the bleeder, close the bleeder, run up to the peddle remove the handle and start all over again. I got quite the workout when I was younger. Today I just grab a grandchild and use the two person method.

 

[harryhr]

Hi everyone. Thank you for all your valuable information. I did manage to get the brakes bled (two person ). With the new wheel cylinders bled and the brake pedal set where it should be, I am experiencing another problem. Test driving and pushing in the clutch and applying the brakes, my mutt will not stop. I readjusted the brake shoes to the drums. Tested brakes again. Still will not stop. Pulled drums off. Checked shoes, lots of meat on all shoes. Hard to tell if drums need replaced. They look in good shape, but then again I'm not an expert. As long as mutt was up on jack stands, I put all the wheels back on. I had a friend apply the brake pedal while I tried to turn each wheel. They all turned by hand. I readjusted each wheel to push against each drum. all wheels still turned by hand while applying brakes. Had a mirror set to see the brake lights come on which they did. Do the drums need to be replaced ? I got this mutt a few years back from a DRMO. It was not in the best of shape body wise. So it's been a time consuming project vehicle. Found a few parts needed replaced (master cylinder, wheel cylinders, electrical parts, etc). I'm not sure if the original brakes shoes might have been replaced because of wear ( and the shoes on there now are in very good condition). It just seems to me that the shoes are not touching the drums no matter how much I turn that star wheel shoe adjuster..

 

[lpcoating]

How did you adjust the brakes? Pretty sure the manual states to tighten the brakes until you can not turn the wheel by hand. Back off the adjuster 11 clicks. Did you do this?

 

[harryhr]

Yes, I turned the the adjuster wheel on all 4 brake shoes and backed off 5 clicks. All 4 wheel are on jack stands. I braced the brake pedal in the applied move so the brake lights were on. I could still turn each wheel by hand. That's where I am stumped
. Should I replace brake drums? Kinda costly just to find out if thats the solution.

 

[harryhr]

Yes, I turned the the adjuster wheel on all 4 brake shoes and backed off 5 clicks. All 4 wheel are on jack stands. I braced the brake pedal in the applied move so the brake lights were on. I could still turn each wheel by hand. That's where I am stumped
. Should I replace brake drums? Kinda costly just to find out if thats the solution.

I pulled my mutt out of my garage and took it for a short drive. Still no brakes.

 

[harryhr]

I pulled my mutt out of my garage and took it for a short drive. Still no brakes.

That's the only reason why I'm thinking brake drums. I'm going to adjust the shoes to the drums and not back off any clicks and see what happens.

 

[harryhr]

That's the only reason why I'm thinking brake drums. I'm going to adjust the shoes to the drums and not back off any clicks and see what happens.

Im going to have to do this tomorrow because it's getting late and colder in the garage. No heat supply out there. When I previously tightened the adjuster on each wheel, they seemed to be tight enough as I could not turn the wheels by hand, but I could still turn that adjuster even though I could not turn the wheels by hand no matter how hard I tried. Go figure....

 

[lpcoating]

Have you verified that the Master Cylinder is not leaking? Or, any of the wheel cylinders? Or, any other part of the brake systerm? Lines, fittings, etc.? When you apply the brakes, is the pedal holding or does it slowly make it's way to the floor board? How about your wheel bearing seals? Are they leaking grease into the drum? Are the pads glazed over? Are the brakes (pads and springs) assembled properly? Do you have a manual? Are you 100% sure the brakes are bled? I've replaced my wheel cylinders 2 times as preventative maintenance since I've owned my A2. both times I've bled them by leaving the bleeeder valve open and let gravity do it's thing. I've never had an issue. What you are describing doesn't make sense to me if everything in the system is correct and you do not have any leaks. Even if the drums were slightly out of tolerance, the fact that you adjust until you can't turn the wheel, and then back off the pads 11 clicks - the brakes should work. Keep us posted.

Guy