Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Farmer John]

After this was written as a reply to Brake Bleeding, it was found to be in the new topic deparment.
Hello Roger, it looks as though you have replaced parts of your system with a view to safe travel. That is the first and overriding rule with brakes on classics as they come from a time when we would hear of or have to repair brakes which had failed. Suddenly. Right Jim?
If the pedal pumps up hard then you have probably cleared all of the air. To diagnose the problem further, you will need to close off the fluid flow to the wheels and because there are no valves to do this the only way is to squeeze the brake hoses closed. It feels so wrong to do this violent thing to a brake hose because you will be crushing the delicate inner lining between layers of woven steel wire. There are tools available to do this but consider that what contacts the hose need to be as large a radius as possible.
For example, take a two inch length of two inch exhaust tube, split it lengthwise, and clamp the pieces convex to convex using vise-grips or similar. You will need seven hands to do this so tack welding the parts to the jaws will make it easy.
You need to clamp the hose only as tight as will stop the flow to minimise the chance of damage. An old hose may not like this treatment, but it can be replaced once the system is sorted.
If, when the hoses are all clamped the pedal is hard and high, you know the master cylinder works. Take off one of the clamps at a time, if the pedal is hard but goes down a way, adjustment is needed. Try adjusting both adjusters right on hard and see wheher the pedal changes. If that corner of the car is OK clamp it again and move to another.
There is more to this subject but give it a try and whatever happens you will be closer to getting a good pedal.
Would be good to know what happens if you get time to come back.
John

[Roger-hatchy]

Sorry I forgot to post job done

Posted an update on the other thread

Thanks for all the tips and advice, something I can pass on to others with a hint to the site as to were it came from.

[WLC4EVA]

.
Err, I hate to but in here Farmer, I don't know if Kiwi steel wire reinforced brake hoses are different from ours, but I don't know of a European steel wire reinforced brake hose that OK to clamp.

Mostly our hoses are fabric re-inforced, which seem quite happy to be clamped with off the shelf brake hose clamps.
With the rider that it's only wise to clamp hoses under 6 years old , or use them on a road vehicle.

This is arguably the best sort of clamp to use on European hoses.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PAIR-BRAKE-HOSE-CLAMPS-METAL-HOSE-PINCHERS-SHINYTOOLS-/310233701931?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item483b5e9e2b

Kind Regards, WLC