Kinda bummed about my brakes.

[Lars]

I finished the brakes on my 73 Dart a couple weeks ago (BB disc up front, 9" drums rear). It's been sitting for a couple weeks now with the front wheels off, on jackstands (nose up) and now the pedal goes to the floor. I can't find any leaks on the floor or on the cylinders anywhere. What are the chances that this is some air that has just worked it way up from the rear? I didn't bleed the rears because one of the bleeder valves is busted off, and I plan to switch out to larger drums (or better yet discs) in the near future. So I don't want to waste any money on them. The pedal was awesome up to a few days ago when I last checked. Thoughts?

[Jim_Lusk]

Go through the bleeding process again and see what it's like, but my first suspicion would be the master cylinder.

[Bakaruda]

I am no expert, but I would not drive it with out fixing the bleeders in the rear. Oh and there is air in the system.

[Lars]

MC is a new Raybestos, my truck does the same thing every couple of years when we get a cold snap. I haven't driven it yet, but it felt great on the stands. I'll re-bleed and see what happends. Guess I'll replace that wheel cylinder also, nuts, I hate drums.

[AA-slingshot]

jack the back end up.......maybe the brake pedal will come back

may want to try bleeding the fronts again....it's cheep and easy.......but make sure the whole brake system is good before hitting the big road.

[Ciscodog]

Might try cracking the line instead of the bleeder if you absolutely don't want to replace the cylinder.

[ski]

Are you saying you replaced the MC during the conversion and never bled the rears?

[sr71mopar]

Untill you bleed them brakes the right way, you are just pissin in the wind.

[Lars]

Are you saying you replaced the MC during the conversion and never bled the rears?

Heh, yeah, cause one of the bleeders on the rear is broken off. The pedal was great for a couple of weeks though. I knew it was a hack-ass way to go at it, but I'm not drving the car around yet anyhow.

[ski]

Are you saying you replaced the MC during the conversion and never bled the rears?

Heh, yeah, cause one of the bleeders on the rear is broken off. The pedal was great for a couple of weeks though. I knew it was a hack-ass way to go at it, but I'm not drving the car around yet anyhow.

That's your problem then.  If you don't want to change the cylinder right now you can bleed it through the line B nut like Cisco said.

[guzzimike]

I gotta bleed my Dart's system too..

I'm gonna get this next week to help me do it correctly

[ski]

I need one of those too.

[DartKnight]

Those are cool...a co-worker of mine does big-rig brake jobs on the side, and he has one the size of a propane cylinder. 

[Daniel]

er? a big rig rig with hydrulaic brakes, say it so

[268darts]

I know a mechanic that uses a bug sprayer, cut the end of the hose off, and attached it to a barbed style air fitting screwed in the top of the master cylinder cap. I think it cost him about $12. to make it.

[b569rr]

I bought one of them vacuum bleeders. Make sure you have a buddy filling the MC while you apply vacuum because the MC will get sucked dry in no time. I will never bleed with the brake pedal again.

Tom

[ski]

I bought one of them vacuum bleeders. Make sure you have a buddy filling the MC while you apply vacuum because the MC will get sucked dry in no time. I will never bleed with the brake pedal again.

Tom

Those work good too. When I changed my MC I borrowed BOTTLE-FED_CUDA's homemade vacume bleeder.  I ran a lot of fluid through and originally thought I still had air but after 4 months the pedal is still nice and firm.  You right about keeping a close eye on the fluid level.

[DartKnight]

Daniel:  Yes, I know big rigs have air brakes; I should have been more specific. He works on everything from flatbeds to box trucks. For a brake job on something like an International, he can sometimes make a couple grand in one day. Not too shabby...