'77Stella

I have a stock '77 and my brake pedal is super soft. My rear brakes aren't engaging at all. I just replaced the calipers, lines and pads (they all needed it anyways) but I can't seem to figure it out. I've bled them, etc.. Any ideas/tips?

buffaloc3

follow this order for bleeding the brakes
left rear
right rear
left front
right front
good luck

68L79

I put the O ring seals in one of my calipers....could not get brakes for a day or so....no fluid loss...I went and bought cheap china stock seals and had a hard pedel in minutes...I think it was sucking in air...

Right off the bat I would say you are picking up air somewhere or air is left over from replacing the parts...

I just put all new brakes on a friends 68 vette....NEW rubbler hoses, calipers, disks and pads.....we had perfect brakes when we let the car down and took it our for a spin.

oldschoolvette

these cars can be a pia to get bled out

if you get the pedal hard and it goes soft again..then start looking for air intake

my 78 took about 4 hrs to bleed out

1977L48

also how are you bleeding them? i usually have someone in the car press the pedal to the floor with the bleeder open, then i close the bleeder and tell them to release the pedal so it will draw in fluid, i repeat that untill i get a sold stream of fluid out when the press the pedal.

68L79

I find the best way is to open the bleeder screw with a white paper towel under it and when you see fluid running for a minute or two, then close and re check MC and re fill...the back brakes have two bleeder screws....I think oper the outer one first, let it bleed good, then close it and open the inner ....let it bleed and close...re check MC and re fill it.....at that point you should have a good brake pedal....after a day or two...then have someone bleed it by the brake pedal method if you like....sometimes, I use a large syringe to suck the fluid then let it self bleed....have never had a problem with self bleed.

lvmyvt76

have you checked the MC to see if the fluid levels have dropped down? That would be a leak.

doorgunner

I'm having similar problems with the rear brakes....from threads I've read, I think the small diverter piston in the what-cha-ma-call-it has shifted AGAIN after I unjammed/cleaned/reset it last week. Now fluid is only going to the front brakes since they both gravity flow easily and they are starting to firm up---

not so with the rear brakes even though I attempted to bleed them first through all three bleeders---gravity & vacuum with no fluid flow after 30 minutes.

Tomorrow....remove diverter piston.....rebleed M.C of air bubbles.......rebleed rear & front calipers!

Easy Mike

pressure differential switch

lvmyvt76

If you think that is the problem, stomp real hard on the brake peddle a couple of times to try and dis-lodge the piston, if that does not work, you will have to remove it & R&R the little buggar.

68L79

I bouught a brand new CPP chrome booster and MC for my 49 chevy....I worked for over a month to get rear brakes...never did. The master cylinder was bleed by me, then by one of the best mechanics around...still no rear brakes.

Finally I got PO'd and bought a rebuilt MC and booster for an s-10 ( like my rear end) and within 30 min of installing these s-10 parts I had back brakes and brakes that stop you quickly. The CPP MC is just like my 68 vette MC but junk.

Make sure you have a good MC....might want to take it off and re-bleed it or put on a new/rebuilt one....the rear section of the MC is always the hardest to bleed.

I would start there and make sure the MC is pouring fluid when a line is disconnected to the rear brakes...just make sure none of the fluid hits the paint or other parts.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

I always remove the lid/cover to the MC when self bleeding.

doorgunner

Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands!

Great looking car (Lead sled....LOL)!!!!

I'm headed to the garage now to re-bleed EVERYTHING!

68L79

Good luck with the bleeding...I have found that self bleeding takes about 10 min or less for each wheel....On the49, took the rear end out today and went thru it....had a roar on coasting...my super mech said it might be the front pinion bearing as it takes the thrust when you let up...the only thing we found was the shims were worn about 7/1000...maybe letting the backlash goes nuts...hope that was it..

About the lead sled...I called Hagerty to up the 49 almost to the vette value....they took a good look at it and said the same as you....looks like a nice lead sled....just put some lake pipes and you will be there...I have never even thought of it as a lead sled...I am not worthy of a lead sled was my thinking...any way...thanks for the compliment.

pacecar620

Thanks for the warning. Guess what my next job is?? Just let your imagination run wild!