!?!?Brakes Quit Working!?!? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

TireSmoke420 · 07-25-2005, 02:31 PM

i was on the way to the store earlier today and my brakes stopped working. upon sum investigating i found that the rear compartent thing on the master cylinder is empty aint filled it back up yet but i checked the lines and none are broken. but im asking if the rear compartment is for rear tires or what so i know what brake cylinder to check. front or rear ones. ohh and how do i bleed drum brakes this is the first times ive had to do such a task done plenty of disk brakes.

jhow66 · 07-25-2005, 03:35 PM

Power brakes? No brakes at all? If you got a dual master cylinder you should have had some brakes left. Run line down from master cyl. to see which is which.

Tx Firefighter · 07-25-2005, 03:39 PM

If it's not leaking out somewhere underneath the truck, the master cylinder is bad and allowing the fluid to escape out the back. It will either run down the firewall or into the booster, depending on if you have power brakes or manual.

Drum brakes bleed just like disc brakes. There is a small bleeder nipple on the backplate of each brake. Usually a small wrench like a 5/16 fits it.

**Palf70Step** · 07-25-2005, 04:12 PM

Normally the rear reservoir is for the front brakes, and the front for back....but that is not a hard fast rule. You may just have lost a front wheel cylinder and your rears are out of adjustment enough to make it feel like no brakes. As mentioned it could very well be the master cylinder has gone out on you also.

BTW that is what mine felt like when I lost the front wheel cylinder on my 70 drum/drum setup.

rambler · 07-25-2005, 04:33 PM

what everyone said... my son's car did the same thing,, no leaks,, found out it was the master cylinder,, typically the rear is the front.. but not always... dont forget to bench bleed the M/C if you replace it.. good luck

Robert1970C20rstbukt · 07-25-2005, 04:45 PM

My truck did the same thing, master cylinder took a dump and leaked into the booster. I couldn't figure out where the fluid was going till I pulled it off. Took it to O'reilly's and got a rebuilt one for about $20.

Longhorn Man · 07-25-2005, 06:52 PM

The 1/2 ton has the rear feeding the front and the front feeding the rear... and the 3/4 and one ton has the front feeding the front, and the rear feeding the rear...or is it the other way around?
I know the 1/2 ton is one way, and the 3/4 & one ton are the other way.

**guyryan100** · 07-25-2005, 07:26 PM

On my 1/2 ton the front is connected to front and rear to rear.

68haywagon · 07-25-2005, 09:51 PM

My '68 is front/front-rear/rear. I replaced everything when I got the truck. Now you have me thinking I put the lines on wrong

. It stops so I guess it'll be alright.

Mike

Robert1970C20rstbukt · 07-25-2005, 10:17 PM

My truck has the Bendix HD brake system, and it's front master/front brakes, rear master/rear brakes.

TireSmoke420 · 07-27-2005, 12:01 AM

its got power brakes. it does have brakes but only with the peddle about to the floor. when usually its starts grabbing like 1/4 way down. truck is a 3/4 ton

Alan Potter · 07-27-2005, 09:19 AM

IMO...add more fluid, pump the pedal and I'll bet you find that you do indeed have a rusted out line.

07-25-2005, 02:31 PM	#1
TireSmoke420 One of the few GMC'ers Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Des Moines, Iowa sometimes Butler, PA Posts: 146	!?!?Brakes Quit Working!?!? i was on the way to the store earlier today and my brakes stopped working. upon sum investigating i found that the rear compartent thing on the master cylinder is empty aint filled it back up yet but i checked the lines and none are broken. but im asking if the rear compartment is for rear tires or what so i know what brake cylinder to check. front or rear ones. ohh and how do i bleed drum brakes this is the first times ive had to do such a task done plenty of disk brakes.

07-25-2005, 03:35 PM	#2
jhow66 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Knoxville Tenn. Posts: 3,058	Power brakes? No brakes at all? If you got a dual master cylinder you should have had some brakes left. Run line down from master cyl. to see which is which. __________________ 56 Chevy Bel-Air 2dr. HT (purchased new) 71 Chevy Cheyenne SWB PU (502HO) 65 GMC short bed step--work in progress and my gofer

07-25-2005, 03:39 PM	#3
Tx Firefighter Watch out for your cornhole ! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Azle, Texas Posts: 14,162	If it's not leaking out somewhere underneath the truck, the master cylinder is bad and allowing the fluid to escape out the back. It will either run down the firewall or into the booster, depending on if you have power brakes or manual. Drum brakes bleed just like disc brakes. There is a small bleeder nipple on the backplate of each brake. Usually a small wrench like a 5/16 fits it. __________________ I'm on the Instagram- @Gearhead_Kevin

07-25-2005, 04:12 PM	#4
Palf70Step State of Confusion! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gulfport, MS USA Posts: 47,322	Normally the rear reservoir is for the front brakes, and the front for back....but that is not a hard fast rule. You may just have lost a front wheel cylinder and your rears are out of adjustment enough to make it feel like no brakes. As mentioned it could very well be the master cylinder has gone out on you also. BTW that is what mine felt like when I lost the front wheel cylinder on my 70 drum/drum setup. __________________ Bill 1970 Chevy Custom/10 LWB Fleetside 2010 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner SR5 Double Cab - DD Member of Louisiana Classic Truck Club (LCTC) Bill's Gallery Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God! Last edited by Palf70Step; 07-25-2005 at 04:14 PM.

07-25-2005, 04:33 PM	#5
rambler MOVE OVER Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Warrensburg, MO Posts: 5,470	what everyone said... my son's car did the same thing,, no leaks,, found out it was the master cylinder,, typically the rear is the front.. but not always... dont forget to bench bleed the M/C if you replace it.. good luck __________________ No matter where you are..... There you are... Buckaroo Banzi

07-25-2005, 04:45 PM	#6
Robert1970C20rstbukt Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Beeville, Texas Posts: 1,943	My truck did the same thing, master cylinder took a dump and leaked into the booster. I couldn't figure out where the fluid was going till I pulled it off. Took it to O'reilly's and got a rebuilt one for about $20. __________________ RJD 1984 Chevrolet C30 welding truck 454/SM465 1977 GMC C15 pickup 350/TH350 1970 Chevrolet C20 pickup 350/TH400 1970 Chevrolet K20 Suburban 454/TH350 1969 GMC 8500 478M V6/5 spd winch truck

07-25-2005, 06:52 PM	#7
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	The 1/2 ton has the rear feeding the front and the front feeding the rear... and the 3/4 and one ton has the front feeding the front, and the rear feeding the rear...or is it the other way around? I know the 1/2 ton is one way, and the 3/4 & one ton are the other way.

07-25-2005, 07:26 PM	#8
guyryan100 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Cumming, GA Posts: 485	On my 1/2 ton the front is connected to front and rear to rear.

07-25-2005, 09:51 PM	#9
68haywagon I'm watching you! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Levittown, PA Posts: 1,822	My '68 is front/front-rear/rear. I replaced everything when I got the truck. Now you have me thinking I put the lines on wrong . It stops so I guess it'll be alright. Mike __________________ 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71 4WD 1993 Chevrolet C-1500 W/T - Blue - 4.3L V-6, 4 speed auto - Dad's (RIP) 1992 Chevrolet S10 - LS swap project 1968 Chevrolet C-10 longbed fleetside - sold

07-25-2005, 10:17 PM	#10
Robert1970C20rstbukt Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Beeville, Texas Posts: 1,943	My truck has the Bendix HD brake system, and it's front master/front brakes, rear master/rear brakes. __________________ RJD 1984 Chevrolet C30 welding truck 454/SM465 1977 GMC C15 pickup 350/TH350 1970 Chevrolet C20 pickup 350/TH400 1970 Chevrolet K20 Suburban 454/TH350 1969 GMC 8500 478M V6/5 spd winch truck

07-27-2005, 12:01 AM	#11
TireSmoke420 One of the few GMC'ers Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Des Moines, Iowa sometimes Butler, PA Posts: 146	its got power brakes. it does have brakes but only with the peddle about to the floor. when usually its starts grabbing like 1/4 way down. truck is a 3/4 ton

07-27-2005, 09:19 AM	#12
Alan Potter Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Northwest Ohio Posts: 162	IMO...add more fluid, pump the pedal and I'll bet you find that you do indeed have a rusted out line. __________________ '12 Silverado Crew Cab 4x4 '05 Silverado SWB '67 Chevrolet CST 2wd '49 Willys Jeepster



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