Rear Cylinder swap questions

[JohnG]

I’m sitting in the driveway working on my 86’s rear brakes and have a couple questions

1. The bleeder is broken off and extractor is not getting it out. So bought another cylinder. The bleeder is substantially larger. Does this matter, side to side?
1b. Should I replace both sides?

2. Shoe placement. My son said he thought the larger shoe goes on the front (it’s not currently.) which is correct?

Thanks for all the help!
John

 

[RonD]

No, the bleeder size won't matter

Shoe with the longer pad goes towards the front on Rangers, and on most vehicles that still use drum brakes

 

[JohnG]

Thanks Ron.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Theoretically you should replace both brake cylinders at the same time, same as you should replace both calipers. Brakes should always be done in pairs. That said, I, along with others, have done only one side a number of times for varying reasons usually revolving around time or money.

 

[JohnG]

That was my thought… I have two… BUT…
It was my plan to replace both but after the 1/2 day affair of replacing the first, I’m going to wait. The hard line was rusted to the fittings so I had spend an hour at autozone getting stuff to make a new line. And if that side was brutal the other will probably be equally as tough.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

That was my thought… I have two… BUT…
It was my plan to replace both but after the 1/2 day affair of replacing the first, I’m going to wait. The hard line was rusted to the fittings so I had spend an hour at autozone getting stuff to make a new line. And if that side was brutal the other will probably be equally as tough.

Yeah, after going through that a time or two, I bought a coil of line, flaring tool and some fittings so I could make my own lines as needed. Now that Ni-Copp line is available that doesn’t rust, I buy stainless fittings from Summit Racing and I upgraded to a lever style flare tool and rusty brake lines is a significantly lessened problem. Now days it’s usually the ends of the rubber hoses that rust, but I’m starting to experiment with slathering those with a mix of grease and used oil to see if I can solve that problem.

 

[James Morse]

The flare nut wrench tool really helped me in this work, if you don't already have it, which you probably do. It was new to me, and helps a lot because when the connections or bleeders are frozen it's not hard to gee up the head. I can still get those short brake lines from the center distribution point to the sides though. Had to do all that on the '99. I really haven't taken a good look at the '97, but dealer said they replaced drums and rotors, would kind of think they did cylinders too, but I don't know. I do know the brakes work really well.
If you're replacing the cylinder and the line won't come out of it then it seems easiest, to just take the line out with the cylinder and get/make new line for the new cylinder.
Self evident I suppose. Thanks for the great info on replacing with upgraded materials.

 

[Josh B]

Yeah, after going through that a time or two, I bought a coil of line, flaring tool and some fittings so I could make my own lines as needed. Now that Ni-Copp line is available that doesn’t rust, I buy stainless fittings from Summit Racing and I upgraded to a lever style flare tool and rusty brake lines is a significantly lessened problem. Now days it’s usually the ends of the rubber hoses that rust, but I’m starting to experiment with slathering those with a mix of grease and used oil to see if I can solve that problem.

Yeah, this!