I have a 29 model A roadster that I am having trouble with the brakes. I have 40 ford brakes on all wheels and a mustang 2 master cylinder. I have very little brake pedal and the rear brakes hardly work. I have tried unsuccessfully to bleed the rear brakes using vacuum, pressure and traditional pump the pedal methods. Is my master cylinder the problem? Should i use a different master cylinder? Would it help if I added 10# residual valves? Please help. I appreciate all responses
Is the location of the bleeder on top or rotated off center to clear rear spring? If they are not at the top you will never get all the air out of the wheel cylinders.
I think this is why I stuck with the original style M/C. it has a 1 -1/6" bore if I remember your Mustang one is no doubt a 1" bore. Did you bench bleed it before install? Was that one for a 4 wheel drum setup? ALso helps if you have speedbleeders in your wheel cyl's replaces the bleed nipple makes life easy as you can do it all yourself. Correct brake adjustment makes a big difference . Do a search and see if someone has posted up a how too. If not jump over to the Ford barn sister site and it will be there.
Make sure the pedal travel will make the master have a full stroke. I like to adjust the brakes up tight all the way around then bleed and then set the adjustment.
Mustang 11s ('74-'78) used a 15/16" master and is really too small (especially with the stock pedals) for your '40 Lockheed brakes, which used an 1 1/16" master, as already stated. I would go no smaller than a 1" bore, like late '60s Mustang, etc. You do need residuals with your '40 brakes, either internal in the master or external 10# inline. Make sure the brakes are all adjusted properly or you'll never get a good pedal.
Just because the master cyl. is new, does'nt mean it is good !! been down THAT road TWICE !! China FUCKING JUNK !! Them workers don't know if they're making a toaster or a part for the luner rover??? pull the master cyl. apart, and look it over. Chris
THERE ARE POTENTIALLY MULTIPLE PROBLEMS REGARDING YOUR BRAKES THAT MAKES THIS A GUESSING GAME POST. WITH EARLY FORD BRAKES the most important feature is the brake adjustment procedure, if not done correctly you have poor pedal. Do a search on the HAMB for adjusting early ford or 1940 Ford brakes and you should find the directions. Second is the size of the bore master cylinder, my rule of thumb is the choice of master cylinder should be the same size as used on the donor car brakes. Thus if your donor brakes requires a 1" bore master cylinder your replacement master cylinder should be 1". Third is the pedal ratio of your brake pedal, this is especially important if you have a home made brake pedal arrangement. From your post my suspicion is that first you do not have the brakes adjusted correctly or have too small a master cylinder.
If your master cylinder is mounted under the floor #10 residual valves (4 wheel drum setup) are a must. If your master is mounted on the fire wall then you may not need residual valves. Basically, if the master is mounted lower than the wheel cylinders you need the residual valves to keep the fluid from draining back to the master (gravity).
The wheel cylinders are on top. I am using a Chassis engineering pedal and I have it set it just barely lets fluid return, but it doesn't really get fill stroke. The master cylinder is for drum/drum brakes and I assumed it had residual valves in it, but i may be mistaken. I ordered speed bleeders this morning. Is there a drum/drum master cylinder that I should use. I would like to keep a dual master cylinder for safety? Thanks for the comments, and any other input is much appreciated.
The CE brake pedal is frame mounted. Any suggestion for master Cylinder. I have adjusted brakes using a procedure printed in an old FAST newsletter.
You originally stated your master was a Mustang 11, but they were all 15/16" and disc/drum (no drum/drum) so you need to find out just what yours is. Internal residual valves are located just behind the tube seats in dual masters, and can be found by gently inserting a small drill bit or paper clip into the port(s). The rubber spring-loaded residual will offer resistance, while none present will allow the tool to go fully into the bore.
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