<VV> Hard Pedal, poor brakes.

[corvairduval at cox.net]

I will also chime in that stuck pistons are #1 for hard brake pedal. And
many times it is not noticeable that the brakes have diminished capacity.

Also, there is nothing wrong with flaring brake tubing and installing an
inverted flare coupling. I cannot condone using a compression type
coupling, it is against state inspection rules here, and have been known to
fail, although probably just due to improper installation. Whereas a flare
fitting improperly installed will weep, a compression fitting improperly
installed can blow the lines apart, at the worst possible time...

No need to reply Tony, I will assume you used a flared coupling! ggg

The other failure of brake hoses is the "check valve" effect. I've seen
this too often in Corvairs. The brakes work fine for a few stops, and then
one wheel locks up even with your foot off the brake pedal. The hose to
that wheel will not allow the fluid to return to the master cylinder when
your foot is off the brake.

Frank DuVal

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Tony Underwood tony.underwood at cox.net
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:13:22 -0400
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> Hard Pedal, poor brakes.


At 10:56 PM 7/28/2010, Smitty wrote:
>Smitty says:    You have stuck cups in your wheel cylinders.  Either hone
>them and put in new cups or replace the cylinders.


This is not an uncommon sort of thing.   It happens more than people 
might think, seen it often enough to make me check when I have a drum 
off anything.


>If you hve reason to
>believe the hoses are original, change them too.


ANOTHER thing to consider... hoses often go without a 2nd thought if 
they look ok when in fact they could be swollen internally or 
weakened enough to pop next time there's that stomping of the pedal 
when that doofus in the SUV with a cellfone stuck in an ear pulls out 
in front of you.


I just finished (well, 2 weeks ago) fixing a wheel cylinder on the 
'60 4-door that had one stuck piston although the brakes had seemed 
to work ok... was doing preventative maintenance (grease front wheel 
bearings) and noticed one shoe was worn more than the other, and worn 
uneven.    I had to drive the stuck piston out with a drift and a hammer.

The car is easy on brakes, been a while since it had any brake work 
up front although I redid rears year before last, shoes, cylinders, 
hoses.    Steel lines to the back got replaced about 5 years 
ago.   In fact, the only line not replaced is the one under the tank 
and it's had the end replaced with a junction after twisting the 
fitting off with a line wrench... wasn't in the mood to yank the tank 
to replace THAT line.   The rest of the line is solid, car passes a 
hard-harder test.

The junction is solid and not likely to ever come loose, had good 
luck with them, check it for leaks often.   After a while I forget 
about it, no worries, once it's on there right, it's there forever.



tony.. 


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