Soft Brakes, 11" Drum Conversion

Wow, so I feel like I've been doing brakes for 6 months straight now ... if it's not one thing it's another.

I've read all the forums on this, I just have a question about sequence to check them ...

Problem: I have soft brakes, the pedal goes all the way to the floor.

What I've tried: I did an 11" brake conversion. I bleed the brakes. I've adjusted the brakes on each wheel. I notice when I have teh cover off of my master cylinder and I press the brake down, only the front section squirts a little fluid ... there is no movement on the rear section. Yet I've replaced the master cylinder back in november (I got it from Advance Auto) ... and I have bench bleed it (could I have gotten a bad one???). So I think I need to get back to basics and start from square one ... and I just need your thoughts to see if I'm doing teh sequence right.

1. Plug up the master cylinder with two bolts and press the pedal. If it's hard, then the M.C. is fine and there is either air in the brakes or I haven't adjusted that far out on each wheel.

2. If the M.C. is soft, then may be bench bleed again??? And see if I can get a hard pedal. If I still can't, buy a new M.C. Any place I should buy it?

Interestingly, my stop light switch for my rear brake lights doesn't turn on ... and I have power going to the switch too. What is the reason for that not working? If there is air in the line, will the switch not turn on? Or may be it really is my master cylinder?

Thoughts, I would just like to get this thing to work ...

 

I'm not sure how to plug a M/C with bolts. This sounds like something might get damaged in the flared seat.

Do you have clean fluid (and no bubbles) at each wheel cylinder during the bleed operation? That single squirt of fluid in the M/C is normal, and that should mean it's bled properly. The shoes should be almost touching the drums for the brake adjustment. If in doubt, let them rub slightly for inital adjustment and back them off later, if/as required.

I have found the hydraulic/electrical switches (brake light) are not always reliable.

 

sorry it took me a bit to get back to you ... may be I'll adjust them a little tighter for the initial adjustment then and see if I get a hard pedal ... How "hard" do you need to adjust each drum brake? If you turn the wheel by hand (when it's up on a jack), should the brake slightly drag? I just don't want to burn out the drums ... When I was driving it around, I think the brakes would "grab" when the wheel pedal was almost to the floor ... So I guess I can keep adjusting each brake until it grabs earlier?? Thanks ...

 

I had the same problem when I did the conversion. Here was the problem for me.

http://1957willysjeep.blogspot.com/2009/08/sticky-widget-x-2.html


The rear rubber hose looked fine, but was plugged. After replacing it, everything worked well.


http://1957willysjeep.blogspot.com/2009/08/early-cj-5-11-inch-drum-brakes-swap.html

 

mmm... interesting ... I haven't replaced that rear soft brake hose, even though it looks fine. How did you know the rear brakes weren't working? Do you mean it wasn't getting any fluid and you couldn't bleed it? Where did you buy the hose, I suppose it's a good thing to get anyways ...

 

I got it at 4wd.com, but you may be able to find it elsewhere.

So what happened for us was we started bleeding from the longest brake line first, plugged the rest, which of course was one of the rears. We had some fluid come out but a trickle. Same for the other rear. So we thought we were okay as we moved forward, bled the brakes in front, but the pedal was soft, like no real pressure.

We did the sequence again, checked everything, the only component we had not replaced was the rear hose. We disconnected it, pressed the pedal, fluid came rushing out. So fortunately I had ordered one, put it on, and it worked right away.

Those rubber hoses get eaten up inside from the brake fluid. It would be a good thing to replace.

Other than that, the other suggestions on the adjustments sounds right.