1979 Ford F150 4X4 brake job - Page 2

hotrodpc · 04-09-2009, 10:23 PM

Start with your master cylinder? Although, very hard to tell if its working properly if you have wheel cylinders or calipers leaking. So give it a visual inspecion. Not for rust or ugly, that doesn't matter. Look for brake fluid down the firewall or your power booster in your case. Looking at the pic you have there, I do not see any brake fluid leaking behind the master. So next go to your front brakes. Follow your brake lines to the proporting valve make sure they are all intact. It is normal for the rubber brake lines to look ugly on an old truck. Just be sure they are not tore or severley dry rotted, or leaking. Look for brake fluid leaking around your calipers. If OK, go with it and check your pads. If all good, go to the back wheels and follow your brake lines to the master cylinder. Replace any rotted, damaged or severly rusted brake lines. Then take your drums off, check the wheel cylinders for leaks. Just for GP, it is so cheap to rebuild those wheel cylinders, I do it anyway. Replace shoes if necessary. If they still have good meat on them, and not heat checked or craked, clean them off with brake clean and call it good enough. Once you are certain, all your brake lines and hoses are good. Wheel Cylinders and Calipers are good. Start it up and hit the brakes. If it feels spongy, bleed the brakes until you have a firm pedal. When you bleed brakes, always start with the one farthest from the master and work your way closer to the master. Usually Right Rear, Left Rear, Right front, Left front. Once you have firm pedal. Get in, start it up, put in D (not really necessary), and hold steady pressure on the brake pedal for about 2 minutes. If you have a good firm pedal and no pedal fade, a good sign your master is in good shape for the time being. There is alot there, but mostly just the order I would do it if it were me.

hotrodpc · 04-09-2009, 10:36 PM

I just looked up some brake parts at Auto Zone. You can get off cheap with this truck as I expected and do not sweat rebuilding anything. Just buy the rebuilt stuff and get lifetime warranty. Lifetime brake pads for the front $16.99 both wheels, Calipers rebuilt w lifetime warranty $13.99 each side. New Brake hoses IF NEEDED, $13.99 and $14.99, why 1 side cost a $1 more? Dunno? Rear Brake Shoes $16.99 for both wheels, Rear Wheel Cylinder kits are $2.19 per wheel or get a new wheel cylinder for $10 each side. At that price I would just get the new cylinders and they don't have to spend money a brake hone. Rear brake hose is $12.99. You can look up your own drums and rotors of you need it, but you see my point. Brakes on that truck will be very cheap. NO reason to not have perfect brakes. You can probably have brand new brakes all the way around for well under $200 in parts and machine work. If you paid a shop to do it, you may be looking at $500-$700. Get busy, Keep Grandma off your back !!!

crabtruck · 04-10-2009, 02:27 AM

One other thought - if you can do so,

take the old one of whatever part you are going to buy
with you to the store and compare it at the counter to the new one.

Saves a big hassle if you get the correct parts,
not what somebody thought was right.

Not a problem after you get familiar with the
small but important differences in shapes of parts,
but a huge PITA when you are getting them for first time,
easy to fool you by eye balling the part from memory.

leolkfrm · 04-10-2009, 07:32 AM

Are you sure someone didn't replace all the lines and jut cut and left the old ones??

ErwinRommel · 04-11-2009, 09:40 AM

Well, I checked the first proportioning valve, all the brake lines are hooked up but the thing is covered with dried mud. It looked ok though. I do have front brakes that work but I have to push hard. I notice the other day that the mastercylinder, where it hooks up to the brake booster, it was leaking some when I was driving. I may need a new booster and cylinder...yay...blah. I checked out the brakes and have some pictures for you and one picture...I was amazed at what I found. I also think I will need whole new back brakes----everything!

wtf is that?

Look closely and you will see:

Ok, here's the brakes

Ok, I know this peice that hooks up to the leaf springs isn't suppose to be like this...what do I do?

ErwinRommel · 04-11-2009, 11:53 AM

Here's a video of my truck running:

batty1214 · 04-11-2009, 12:41 PM

There is one thing that scares me about those pictures......... there isn't any blocking or jackstand in them....... here in utah, we had a guy sent to ICU because his truck fell on him after his jack failed..........Anyway, I did some checking on parts as well, and for the cost of your parts, I'd replace everything, and have youor drums and rotors turned at a machine shop.

ErwinRommel · 04-11-2009, 08:05 PM

Yeah, I know. I take risk and I know it may come back and bite me. I'm poor and can't afford a jackstand. I have to use blocks but they are holding up my Courier.

Yeah, I just wonder how much it will all cost me!?!?

leolkfrm · 04-11-2009, 08:11 PM

looks like you need a wheel stud also, If you play in the mud you better plan on pulling the rears and cleaning them afterwards!

ErwinRommel · 04-11-2009, 08:18 PM

Aye, the old stud fell out when I open the drums. It was bent.

Yeah I need to get a pressure washer...

04-10-2009, 07:32 AM	#14
leolkfrm Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: N.Y. Posts: 4,223	Are you sure someone didn't replace all the lines and jut cut and left the old ones?? __________________ 4 wheels move the body 2 wheels move the soul B.W.A.I

04-11-2009, 08:11 PM	#19
leolkfrm Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: N.Y. Posts: 4,223	looks like you need a wheel stud also, If you play in the mud you better plan on pulling the rears and cleaning them afterwards! __________________ 4 wheels move the body 2 wheels move the soul B.W.A.I

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04-09-2009, 10:23 PM	#11
hotrodpc Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 2,847	Start with your master cylinder? Although, very hard to tell if its working properly if you have wheel cylinders or calipers leaking. So give it a visual inspecion. Not for rust or ugly, that doesn't matter. Look for brake fluid down the firewall or your power booster in your case. Looking at the pic you have there, I do not see any brake fluid leaking behind the master. So next go to your front brakes. Follow your brake lines to the proporting valve make sure they are all intact. It is normal for the rubber brake lines to look ugly on an old truck. Just be sure they are not tore or severley dry rotted, or leaking. Look for brake fluid leaking around your calipers. If OK, go with it and check your pads. If all good, go to the back wheels and follow your brake lines to the master cylinder. Replace any rotted, damaged or severly rusted brake lines. Then take your drums off, check the wheel cylinders for leaks. Just for GP, it is so cheap to rebuild those wheel cylinders, I do it anyway. Replace shoes if necessary. If they still have good meat on them, and not heat checked or craked, clean them off with brake clean and call it good enough. Once you are certain, all your brake lines and hoses are good. Wheel Cylinders and Calipers are good. Start it up and hit the brakes. If it feels spongy, bleed the brakes until you have a firm pedal. When you bleed brakes, always start with the one farthest from the master and work your way closer to the master. Usually Right Rear, Left Rear, Right front, Left front. Once you have firm pedal. Get in, start it up, put in D (not really necessary), and hold steady pressure on the brake pedal for about 2 minutes. If you have a good firm pedal and no pedal fade, a good sign your master is in good shape for the time being. There is alot there, but mostly just the order I would do it if it were me.

04-09-2009, 10:36 PM	#12
hotrodpc Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 2,847	I just looked up some brake parts at Auto Zone. You can get off cheap with this truck as I expected and do not sweat rebuilding anything. Just buy the rebuilt stuff and get lifetime warranty. Lifetime brake pads for the front $16.99 both wheels, Calipers rebuilt w lifetime warranty $13.99 each side. New Brake hoses IF NEEDED, $13.99 and $14.99, why 1 side cost a $1 more? Dunno? Rear Brake Shoes $16.99 for both wheels, Rear Wheel Cylinder kits are $2.19 per wheel or get a new wheel cylinder for $10 each side. At that price I would just get the new cylinders and they don't have to spend money a brake hone. Rear brake hose is $12.99. You can look up your own drums and rotors of you need it, but you see my point. Brakes on that truck will be very cheap. NO reason to not have perfect brakes. You can probably have brand new brakes all the way around for well under $200 in parts and machine work. If you paid a shop to do it, you may be looking at $500-$700. Get busy, Keep Grandma off your back !!!

04-10-2009, 02:27 AM	#13
crabtruck Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: on your 9 Posts: 3,192	One other thought - if you can do so, take the old one of whatever part you are going to buy with you to the store and compare it at the counter to the new one. Saves a big hassle if you get the correct parts, not what somebody thought was right. Not a problem after you get familiar with the small but important differences in shapes of parts, but a huge PITA when you are getting them for first time, easy to fool you by eye balling the part from memory.

04-11-2009, 09:40 AM	#15
ErwinRommel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern Georgia Posts: 563	Well, I checked the first proportioning valve, all the brake lines are hooked up but the thing is covered with dried mud. It looked ok though. I do have front brakes that work but I have to push hard. I notice the other day that the mastercylinder, where it hooks up to the brake booster, it was leaking some when I was driving. I may need a new booster and cylinder...yay...blah. I checked out the brakes and have some pictures for you and one picture...I was amazed at what I found. I also think I will need whole new back brakes----everything! wtf is that? Look closely and you will see: Ok, here's the brakes Ok, I know this peice that hooks up to the leaf springs isn't suppose to be like this...what do I do?

04-11-2009, 11:53 AM	#16
ErwinRommel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern Georgia Posts: 563	Here's a video of my truck running:

04-11-2009, 12:41 PM	#17
batty1214 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Vernal Utah Posts: 1,131	There is one thing that scares me about those pictures......... there isn't any blocking or jackstand in them....... here in utah, we had a guy sent to ICU because his truck fell on him after his jack failed..........Anyway, I did some checking on parts as well, and for the cost of your parts, I'd replace everything, and have youor drums and rotors turned at a machine shop.

04-11-2009, 08:05 PM	#18
ErwinRommel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern Georgia Posts: 563	Yeah, I know. I take risk and I know it may come back and bite me. I'm poor and can't afford a jackstand. I have to use blocks but they are holding up my Courier. Yeah, I just wonder how much it will all cost me!?!?

04-11-2009, 08:18 PM	#20
ErwinRommel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern Georgia Posts: 563	Aye, the old stud fell out when I open the drums. It was bent. Yeah I need to get a pressure washer...