Master cylinder dilemma

I have a 64 CJ5. I would love to take it all apart and do a complete restoration and modifications. Well that’s not going to happen anytime soon. So I am at this stage, got the motor rewired and running. Was working on the lights when I came to where the brake switch is and got lost for a while. Went to the jeep forum and started searching and talked to the parts people. I think I got that sort of figured out. Well, I was cleaning the garage, after winter and have a garage sale. I took the Jeep off the stands and fired it up. Put it in what I thought was reverse gear and released the clutch and nothing happened. Try moving the other shifters around to see if I could get it to move. I was climbing in and out, looking under to see if I could figure out why I could not get this thing moving. Which brings up another subject found a lever with a broken cable on it going no where. After some time, I though this might be the parking brake so I started looking for the parking break lever, to date has not been located, anywhere. Anyway, got back in and tried getting it to back up again, thought the clutch doesn’t come out much so hooked my shoe on the clutch pedal and lo and behold it started backing up. Backed down the garage and drove it around the cul-de-sac. Well, I was told that the jeep has been driven around the cabin. I was also told that the brakes had been worked on; he spent a lot of money on it too. Well I assumed driving means it also stops, not the case here. Well drove around a little more since this is the first time since I acquired it, that I actually got to drive it around under its own power.

I had wanted to buy a older jeep so the kids (me included) can work on it and learn something and have fun with it. When I had pushed on the brakes nothing was happening. While I was driving it, I was trying to see if there were any brakes, be it even so slight. Decide to put it back up on the rams and look at the brake fluid level. That turned out to be a bit of a problem. Not the easiest thing to get to, I had a socket that fit but only a breaker bar to turn it with. So I turned it a little, very little, have to rotate the socket on the breaker to be able to move it a little more. Then keep repeating that process for a good while, not seeing anything happening and decided need some different tools. Barrowed a neighbors and cap came right off. It just amazing how easy things are with the right tools. I looked inside and the master cylinder is bone dry and not sure what else is in there (see picture). It almost looks like filings from the cap I took off.

So now we are at the part where the dilemma comes in to play. I eventually want disc brakes all the way around, but not yet. The cap when I took it of looks like three sides have lifted (dropped) see picture. Is this the way it is suppose to look? The inside looks very dry, again look at picture. The question is do I rebuild the master cylinder I have? Do I just buy a new master cylinder like I have? Or do I / can I, upgrade to what would allow me to add disk brakes later. Do I really need power brakes? Do I use “Herm the overdrive guy” master cylinder upgrade? Or is there something else I have missed that would be a better option? There are a lot of options in this forum and still not sure what to do. Would love to just put in the brake system I want and be done with it. Unfortunately, that is not a possible at this time. Rebuilding or buying a new master cylinder is possible. I am going to replace all the lines. The idea of stopping when I want seems like a good idea, and knowing nothing else is going to happen with my brake system, would also be nice. I would also like to keep it as simple as I can. The body is still on if that matters in the decision. I really don’t want to take it off unless I absolutely have to. I will if that’s what the best thing to do. The body is in such a condition that if I took it off, I would not be able to put it back on with out a lot of work. Some of the mounting pieces go from being rectangle to C channel to angle iron, all in a short distance. I would rather wait until I get all the mechanical work done before I get in to frame and body work. Sorry if it’s to wordy.

 

If it were me, I would vacuum out the MC, fill it up, bleed the system and see where I'm at at that point. The next thing would be to get the hand brake hooked up in whatever fashion. Then you can decide on rebuild, upgrade etc. Not being able to stop without a block of wood is just plain annoying

 

:iagree:

 

You might also want to replace the flexible rubber brake hoses. You can get those at Krage's or Walcks.

 

Allstate4WD is pretty good for parts too:
MC $49
WC $21

Also, there's a guy on eBay that sells a kit of hoses, curly tubes and clips pretty reasonable.

 

My master cylinder cap looks like yours.. so, I think its suppose to look like that. It sounds like you are not ready to upgrade the brake system but want to, so you don’t want to put money into the current system to get it operating. I think the best thing would be to fill it up, bleed it and see if it works. It might have a leak somewhere.. maybe just a slow leak. So, it may work good enough for you to get it around until you are ready to do major stuff to it. My cj5 master leaked dry from sitting for so long... I just upgraded to hanging brake pedals with a firewall mounted master cylinder. My master cylinder upgrade works with the stock drum brakes, and should work fine for disc. So, you could upgrade the master cylinder to work with your current system and be compatible with your future upgrades.

 

i would install herm's kit for the dual mc (again). if you want to go 4 wheel disc brakes, now is a good time since the mc' are different for drum/drum, disc/drum and disc/disc. if it was mine, i would fix the brakes correctly since not only is it your life (and wife/kids) but the general public as well.

 

The cap is supposed to look like that. That allows venting of the master cylinder with minimal loss of fluid.

 

Thank you all for your input. I think for now I going to put in a new MC and lines in. I Just got a M38A1 body and I decided to take mine off. I might as well do the brakes correctly. Since I have no idea when anything was done, Just do it now and be done with it. Plus it will be a whole lot easier with the tub off, I think.

Here is a few pictures of the new tub.

 

I would up grade your brakes from 9" to 11" and install a dual master cylinder. I'm in the process of putting a dual mc in right now and it is a real pain with the tub on but we're almost done. The brakes were upgraded a few years ago. It's always nice to be able to stop.

 

He should have 10" brakes and a dual MC already.

 

I also thought that dual MC's were used until about 68 or 69.

Not sure when 10" drums were brought in. My 69 has both. I'd still recommend converting to front discs eventually. When my 10" drums get wet it really pulls to one side and loses braking until I ride the brakes lightly to dry them out more quickly.

 

Oh, I thought they 1st appeared in 67, my bad!!