Series II & III Brake Master Cylinders

[incisor]

I am having brake issues as some are already aware

all new parts

but

i cant get a full brake pedal, i have to pump three times to get hard pedal somewhere near the top half of the pedal stroke

the setup is

series iii 109" 4cyl suffix e front diff
series ii 88" rear diff
4cyl 109" 1" bore CV style master cyl

so i wander thru the parts books tonite and find the following

Series II Master Cyl 88" CB 520849 with spacer 516410
Series II Master Cyl 109" 4cyl CB 520850 with spacer 523084
Series III Master Cyl 88" & 109" CV 90569128 with spacer 564944

so there is 3 different spacers to go with the 3 different master cyls....

I would have thought that the difference in spacer width could be made up with adj on the push rod..

any collective wisdom available on the matter?

i am also experiencing the front shoes/drums tightening up which has me scratching my head as well...

related?

back brakes seem trouble free.

[Col.Coleman]

No idea, other than offering to come up and give you a hand to methodically go through it all, and see what the hickup is.

Are they new front flex lines?

CC

[incisor]

one is, the other was fine

[Timj]

Hi Inc,

Have you tried clamping off the flex lines to try and track down exactly where the issue is?

TimJ.

[incisor]

Hi Inc,

Have you tried clamping off the flex lines to try and track down exactly where the issue is?

TimJ.

Thats the next port of call, i just need to buy a couple of suitable clamps as i dont have anything suitable

[JDNSW]

That is what I was going to suggest! Brakes tightening up is usually incorrect adjustment of the pushrod, but you would expect that to apply to both front and rear.

The other possibility is that for some reason the shoes are not sitting straight, that is, tipped sideways. Series three should not have adjustable shoe supports, so the only way I can think of that this could happen is if the springs are assembled incorrectly so as to pull the shoes away from the backing plate rather than towards them.

John

[incisor]

but you would expect that to apply to both front and rear.
my feelings as well....


The other possibility is that for some reason the shoes are not sitting straight, that is, tipped sideways. Series three should not have adjustable shoe supports, so the only way I can think of that this could happen is if the springs are assembled incorrectly so as to pull the shoes away from the backing plate rather than towards them.

am getting contact across the full face of the shoe and drum judging by the shiny bits

have triple checked the springs and if they are wrong i cant pick it...

unless maybe they are weak?

hmmmmmmm

[JDNSW]

my feelings as well....


am getting contact across the full face of the shoe and drum judging by the shiny bits

have triple checked the springs and if they are wrong i cant pick it...

unless maybe they are weak?

hmmmmmmm

It is possible to overstretch them trying to install the shoes - look for unevenly spaced turns.

A check whether the brakes are binding due to hydraulic pressure or something at the wheel - when the brake is binding, crack the bleeder - if it squirts then dribbles, the problem is hydraulic pressure, almost certainly the master cylinder. (either pushrod adjustment, sticking piston, or faulty cylinder.

A piossible cause for all your problems could be contaminated brake fluid that has caused swollen seals preventing free movement on both wheel cylinders and master cylinder.

Hope this helps,

John

[Lionelgee]

G'day All,

I have read a couple of threads where people have referred to "brake Snails". I was looking for some brake parts on eBay and came across the photograph of "brake adjusters". Would this be the wee beasties that people are calling "brake snails" - they sorta look like snails to me :).

I suppose if restoring a Series 3 one could assume that these need to be replaced? How does one tell if they are worn - since if the photograph is of brake snails I have not seen them before in the flesh so to speak. Well I have seen real snails in the flesh I have four of them in my fish tank cleaning the tank walls.:angel:

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Yep them thar brake snails.

You need to look if the posts are sloppy but mostly the little knotches on ther outside of the cam are work off.

Some people don't like the replacements, but make sure you loctite the thread.

[Lionelgee]

Yep them thar brake snails.

You need to look if the posts are sloppy but mostly the little knotches on ther outside of the cam are work off.

Some people don't like the replacements, but make sure you loctite the thread.

G'day Lotz-A-Landies,

Thank you for the mollusc identification as per the Land Rover taxonomy.

Why don't some people like the replacements?

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Because the rest of the backing plate may be worn and the snails can come apart.