Replaced cracked rotor & front pads:no brakes?

[chessman]

I replaced a right front rotor the the front pads I used a c clamp to depress the calipers. I thought that by just changing out the front pads I would not get air in the system. Now I just cant seem to get the thing bled. I have spongy brakes. Could I have gotten air in the master cylinder? Could the back brakes be to low on pad thickness. Can the back brake pads be adjusted tighter. I have fluid coming out and no air when i bleed the lines over and over, and over. Does anybody have any ideas?

 

[adsm08]

Well, you should not get any air in the system just by compressing the caliper. Did you pump the pedal a few times after putting it all back together? Sometimes it can take up to 10 pumps to get the pistons back in place.

 

[chessman]

front brake job

I Did pumped it. I noticed right away that i did not have any brakes at all. the pedal went down very low and lower with it cranked. I noticed that air sound too. I have gravity bled one wheel at a time. I was by myself, then i got my girlfriend to help me bleed after that did not help. I bled them this morning and drove around the block, still the pedal goes down nearly to the floor. I have not looked at the rear brakes yet, i will in morning when its cooler.

 

[HAPPY+RANGER+GUY]

I used a c clamp to depress the calipers.

Did you crack something open when you did this...bleeder or open up the reservoir?

Aren't the rear brakes drum brakes? Yes they can be adjusted but sounds like you have another issue.

 

[chessman]

resovoir cap

Thanx for the reply. Yes I removed the resovoir cap . I put the c clamp on the caliper and that pushed fluid into the resovoir. I think it overflowed. I put a catch pan underneath I know i have to replace the resovoir it is in bad shape, then i will replace the rear brake pads. I will have to bench bleed the cylinder. I have some brakes but the pedal just gets to low.

 

[cvar]

Hmm. Did you install the calipers upside down? That means swap L caliper on R wheel, and vice versa? That would trap air. Make sure the bleeder screw is on top, about 3" above the hose banjo bolt (not below it).

 

[exbass94]

You may have damaged the master cylinder when bleeding the brakes. The piston in the cylinder usually only moves a certain distance under normal braking. The rest of the cylinder is basically unused and the piston usually never travels that far into the cylinder. As a result, that area of the cylinder may get corroded. When you bleed brakes, if you let the pedal go almost or all the way to the floor, the piston will travel into that corroded area of the cylinder and can tear the seal inside.

 

[chessman]

to cvar

I did not disconnect the front brake calipers i left the brake line hose connected and hooked it over on top the spring to get it out of the way. I dont see how it could be installed any other way. the nipple is on top
Thanx for the info exbass. i did read that I had to disconnect the line to the master cycl. before using a c clamp. which i did not do trying not to get air in lines. it is a very old MC the resovoir is about to crumble. I inherited this pickup and dont know much of the history. althogh i have found stripped and bent bolts here and there. who ever worked this pickup was not very good at it. I love this pickup.

 

[pjtoledo]

this thread may be a bit old, but it's missing an important step

when compressing the caliper with a C clamp, OPEN THE FRIGGEN BLEEDER.

its much better to purge the old fluid ( and crap) out the bleeder that it is to push it back up the lines and into the master cylinder.


Perry