Front brake lines swelled shut?

[WarBeard]

Having trouble with my Brakes. Master and booster checks out ok. Yesterday I adjusted the rear shoes. (Found out no adjuster holes in backing plates??? REALLY?)

Next I suppose is the calipers and the distribution block. Gotta check them out.

I was just watching a GEARS episode on Youtube and Stacy David said the the rubber brake lines can swell shut???

How common is this? I kinda feel like only my rear brakes are working.

[grs]

Originally Posted by motomech

Having trouble with my Brakes. Master and booster checks out ok. Yesterday I adjusted the rear shoes. (Found out no adjuster holes in backing plates??? REALLY?)

Next I suppose is the calipers and the distribution block. Gotta check them out.

I was just watching a GEARS episode on Youtube and Stacy David said the the rubber brake lines can swell shut???

How common is this? I kinda feel like only my rear brakes are working.

Not sure how common on the brake line. There may be knock out plugs on the drums. I found them on mine, and knocked them out. Then put a plug in the holes.

[rs72z]

They don't swell shut, but hey do get soft and when you put pressure on them they expand. When you let off the brakes they then suck together and wont allow the calipers to release.

[gramps77]

Originally Posted by rs72z

They don't swell shut, but hey do get soft and when you put pressure on them they expand. When you let off the brakes they then suck together and wont allow the calipers to release.

Actually, they can swell shut. I hadnt seen it either until last year when my buddy swapped to a big brake kit on his 66 Nova and the rubber line from the body to the rear end was determined to not be passing any fluid to bleed. cut it open and sure enough, it literally swelled itself shut to about the size of a pintip. good thing he had decent disks on the front beforehand to have something to stop. But scary thought at the same time.
I tried looking for the link with the pic on my other site but it was so long ago I gave up.

[Desert1957]

I just went through this very problem on my 83 C20. During the first road test on my engine swap , I smelled brakes burning. Truck had a SUPER touchy brake pedal also.

Inspecting ALL the brakes I found both front brake hoses were bad. Replaced hoses , bled brakes . Good as new!

Here is what happens during braking, Master cylinder pressures can exceed 1700 PSI which will force fluid through a collapsed brake hose , but after releasing the pedal it may take 5 minutes for the fluid to bleed off.

This is what causes most dragging brakes and pulling to the side that works normally.

Interesting to me was that the previous owner had replaced the following parts trying to repair the brake problem, and it was never fixed.

*Front Calipers
*Front Brake pads
*Front Rotors
*Master Cylinder
*Brake Booster
*Rear Wheel Cylinders

Might be why I purchased the truck for so cheap when the engine locked up

Desert

[WarBeard]

What should I look for on the outside of the line...They don't appear to be cracked?

[old Rusty C10]

most of the time when this happens the calpers wont release as opposed to not grabbing..... you could also have a siezed caliper in the open position but i see that when a truck has sat in a moist area for long periods of time

[mopar346]

You may not see it at all, I would just replace them, there's only 3 and they are less than $20 for the last ones I bought.

If you did want to test them take them off and blow through them, both ways.