We just bought our daughter a 1971 Nova with non power drum brakes. I knew that the brakes had issues before we bought it but now I need some advice on what to look for.
I bought a rebuilt master cylinder and her and I installed it last night. We went thru the bench bleeding like I always do and then once it was on the car I went to the passenger side rear wheel to start the pump 3 times and hold bleeding task.
Her and I went thru this a number of times on each wheel but the pedal still does not stiffen up. There seems to be no change in the pedal at all..
Could it be that the rebuilt master cylinder is bad???? I bought this thing at Auto Zone so I am not to sure it was reuilt correctly..

Any advice for the drum section

thanks
Rick

 

Make sure the master is topped up, leave the cap off and let all 4 wheels gravity bleed. While you are waiting, make sure all 4 corners are adjusted properly. How about the drums themselves?
Make sure 1 or more are not oversize. This can give you a low or soft pedal pedal if the travel required to engage the shoe exceeds that of the wheel cylinder.
Keep us posted.

 

That will be my next step..is to pull all for corners to see what kind of shape they are in. Its time to bring out the jack stands and floor jack...
With what I found in the old master cylinder ...it may be just a bad case of YUK....in the lines..
Also here is the beast that I am working on..

Rick

 

Pretty sweet car for your daughters first ride. Wish my parents would have bought me my 454 Chevelle instead of this darned ol' cummins.

 

sweet .............. can you be my dad

 

What a great Dad

 

Can I put myself up for adoption? Big Blue, since they are in the buying mood, would your parents adopt me

 

That was about 3 years ago.

 

Get a mighty vac for $40 and have at it. there sure handy.

 

I just went out and bought one of those 1 man bleeding tools..We will have class and I will show my daughter how to use it and I will watch..
She said that she wants to learn so this is a good place to start. Then the fun stuff will start.. Like packing the front wheel bearings...she will enjoy that one!

Rick