Al T

This is related to an off topic car (my '57 Thunderbird with power brakes) but is relevant due to all the single brake reservoir cars we drive. It happened a week ago, but I need to share this to hopefully help someone else.
I took it for a drive last week into the city. On my way back home, at a traffic light I had a weird brake issue. I pressed the brakes....... no brakes, then they kicked in. I continued on, picked up my daughter and proceeded back home (I live on an acreage just outside the city). As we were pulling up to our subdivision, I go to slow....... no brakes at all. Pump the brakes, no brakes. Go to pull the emergency brake handle and it's jammed (definitely an issue I'll address before I drive it again). Fortunately there is a back entrance into our subdivision with an upward slope which slowed the car enough to make the turn. Once in the subdivision it's uphill for the first stretch so I was able to crawl towards home, gravity helped a lot. We slowly drove to our entrance and fortunately there is an upward slope into our driveway and then about a 20 foot change in elevation down. I put the car into park, had my daughter go grab our quad and a tow strap. Hooked it onto the back of the frame and had my daughter use the quad as my brakes. This was a scary situation that fortunately ended well.
The car was restored about 20 years ago and has about 9000 miles on the restoration since then.
I put the car up on my hoist late last week and took a look. It has it's original Ford 9" in the rear. On the rear end housing there is a stud welded to it that the brake tee mounts to for the rear brakes. The welds on the stud had failed, leaving the tee unsupported.



Over time, the movement of the rear caused the brake line to the driver's side rear to fail at the tee. I had had no leaks or brake issues prior to the incident to give me any indication of a problem.
My advice, if you're running a single reservoir brake system, check your brake system regularly and make sure you have a working emergency brake. I "assumed" it worked because of the condition of the car and the quality of the restoration.
I hope this proves useful to someone. It's not easy to post as I should have known better but.......
Still can't stop thinking I had my 15 year old daughter in the car when this happened.

Alllan

GTOguy

Excellent post. And even 1 or 2 years can be 'old' for brake hydraulics if the car sits a lot. I've had wheel cylinders fail in that time frame. I blew a front flex hose on my '65 GTO 30 years ago....was going 45-50 mph and needed to stop at a red light. Blew right through the light with no brakes.....it was 630 am so no traffic, luckily. Used the GOOD parking brake and the 4 speed to slow it down and was able to limp in to work, only 2 blocks away. Thing was, it happened 2 blocks from work after a 51 mile commute.....any earlier and I would have wrecked the car. ALWAYS check your hoses, lines, and brake fluid level on a single master cylinder car, guys! Converting to a dual master ain't a bad idea, either.

Frankie the Fink

Yes, you do have to drive differently in some of these cars and have decent reactions. My '63 has single master cylinder all drum brakes. At any speed over 55mph I leave 8-10 car lengths ahead of me....if it p!sses people off behind me too bad. I usually do a light test pump on the brakes preceding a stop light or stop sign....and try to leave an 'escape path' if things should get squirrely (can't always do that though). The hand brake is always adjusted up to snuff in case its needed and I can do a killer downshift if called for.

Other than that and keeping your brake system in good nick I don't lose sleep over it.

54vetteguy

Agree with Frankie on thinking ahead and the excape route.... I have a 1931 Chevrolet with the old mechanical brakes and THAT is white knuckles when cruising 45-50 MPH. Everyone on the road is use to modern brake systems and indeed ride our tail and take chances that most drivers in the 30's probably would not have considered.
John

Al T

I do the same thing when driving any of my cars, unfortunately that wide gap is usually the perfect spot for the texting/talking driver to do a quick lane change into....... "I didn't think that gap was there for safety reasons" ........

Frankie the Fink

That space we're discussing is technically an IMG - Idiot Maneuvering Gap!

Or, at least that's what we called it when I commuted around Washington DC

MikeM

When I learned to drive, I was taught one car length for every ten mph. I don't care what the drivers behind me think. I've never busted anyone in the rear end but from the looks of cars in salvage and tow in lots, many, many, many people have.

I keep that same gap today whether I'm driving a car with modern tires and brakes or an old car with drums and skinny tires. Either way, I'm not overdriving my car or myself in the event of an emergency stop. I also keep my eyes moving for an "escape route".

If the cops would get off their butt and start writing tickets for tailgating, cutting traffic and aggressive driving, the result in the decline in property damage $$$$ would be dramatic. Not to mention injuries/fatalities.

PS. I've had three catastrophic brake failures in my driving time. That means NO Brakes, sudden brake loss. Two were with DUAL MC's and one was single. The dual cylinder is no guarantee of stopping.

tuxnharley

Yup, I've had a dual MC - on my '67 - fail completely with no brakes. Fortunately it was at low speed in a parking lot and I was able to pump it back up and get it stopped with no damage.

Even a dual MC can fail internally and leave you with no pressure to either circuit. The dual MC only protects you from a failure in either circuit.

Pilot Dan

Since the problem originated with a broken weld which had likely been that way for a good period of time before the line flexed and broke, it's a good reason to get under there and inspect things every once in a while. I like to use the oil changes for that. You are already under there, give everything a once over. My emergency brake saved me in my early days when a line chaffed and broke. That was 30 years ago and with everything well maintained I have never had a total brake failure since in the Corvettes, both have sleeved single master cylinders. Gotta have a good working Parking/ E- brake

Easy Rhino

Lots of good advice here.

Best of all to remember that these 50 year old cars, lacking numerous modern safety systems, should be driven appropriately.

I was recently in good luck when I went out to fire up my '65 to give my MOL a ride, when the brake pedal went to the floor. I found the master cylinder bone dry and a puddle of brake fluid under the right rear tire - failed disc brake caliper seals. The good luck was that it happened in the garage instead of while going down the road with my wife, or a friend.

INMYBLOOD

Well you've been out of town for awhile. It's now about 1 car length and some idiot will try to cut over a few lanes. Unfortunately I have to drive in PG county every day. The things I see. I'm gonna get a dash cam and collect an hour of bad driving, maybe I can make lunch money on youtube.

Everyday I see someone haul *** on the shoulder and cut in traffic. Doesn't have to be a jam or on the highway. Everywhere in PG. Now it's not just cars. The F'n bicyclists were all over the road today. Running stop signs, red lights,

Frankie the Fink

Its good to be retired in a semi-rural area. I don't have the motor skills nor hunter-killer attitude to deal with big city rush hour traffic. I did that mess for 1-1/2 hours ONE WAY for two years until I moved to Alexandria from southern Maryland.

Anyway - I lay back in the middle lane right on the speed limit and let all the clowns blow by me....I got no place to be and plenty of time to get there

leif.anderson93

Sounds like a textbook way to drive...I was taught the same way. I probably drive out of my mirrors as much as the windshield. Love the fools that think that space in front of my car was made for them to zoom into

SDVette

I leave lots of room too guys... but let's face it - if you loose the brakes completely, there is never going to be enough room. 2 car lengths... 10 car lengths... even 50 car lengths will likely not be enough.

+1 for frequent visual inspection of the brake components
+1 for making sure your emergency brake is functional

MikeM

[QUOTE=leif.anderson93;1590420705.

Love the fools that think that space in front of my car was made for them to zoom into[/QUOTE]

That is MY SPACE, NOT THEIRS!

Frankie the Fink

Most guidance has gone from the 1 car length for every 10 mph to the 2 second rule (or 3-4 seconds depending on who's giving the advice). In any event, any following distance is better than none. I've had people in some of their little sheet-can imports so close on the bumper of my Tundra at 70mph that I literally can't see them in my rear view mirror. What is that about ? A death wish.

Following like that puts you completely dependent on the driving skills and attentiveness of the stranger in front of you and the mechanical soundness of their vehicle - stupid as hell...