Soft pedal

Ever since my bucket has been on the road, it has a "soft" brake pedal, meaning I push it down a bit before the brakes begin to grab. I bench bled the MC before installation, and have bled the entire system several times with no bubbles, but the same pedal feel persists. When I first drove it (Spring of 2016) the rear brakes locked up first, so I installed an adjustable proportioning valve on the rears and that fixed it. It stops fine now, but the pedal just seems a little soft to me. Would an RPV on the fronts help that? (discs in front, drums on rear)

 

I would not use an RPV in the front disc brakes. I don't even like them in the back. Are you sure that your linkage is tight enough and your soft pedal is not from the movement till it get in full contact to the MC.
Make sure the rear brakes are adjusted tight on these little cars like wheel bearings you can tighten them tighter than normal......

 

Does the pedal get hard after a couple of pumps or does it stay soft?

 

It stays soft, but stops just fine. In other words, it feels like the brake pads are squishing to a point where they will lock up the wheels, but it is a soft squeeze to get there. Does that make sense?

 

What's your MC size? What are you using for your front brakes?

 

1" MC, Speedway disc brake kit - https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Fron...ang-II-to-1949-54-Chevy-5-on-4-3-4,36437.html

 

Do you have through the frame brake fittings? They can trap a small pocket of air because they are drilled and tapped so the fluid can’t get out. You may get it out by tilting the car to let more air out.

 

No, I do not.

 

Have you tried a pressure bleeder?

 

No. Tell me more . . .

 

Its a shop item, uses pressurized fluid in the master cylinder top. solves a lot of air problems in brake systems that have issues.

 

I got this one from Amazon, and it's worked great for bleeding brakes and clutches:

 

I bought one from Harbor Freight. It was a piece of crap. Don’t get one of those!

 

I could be wrong but I believe the one I bought from Harbor Freight was not a pressure bleeder but a vacuum bleeder. It hooked up to the wheel cylinder and pulled the brake fluid through the system. At least it was supposed to. I kept it too long and missed the window to return it. My loss. Now it sits on the shelf waiting for the opportunity to go for a ride in the garbage can!! It cost about $40.00. Not the first time I wasted $40.00 on a piece of crap.

 

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Swap meet material - somebody will want it.

 

Island Girl - Have you used the flat plate to bleed the brakes? I have read in several places that the flat plate cannot be tightened down to hold pressure.

 

I haven't had to use the plate yet, I have an assortment of the round/screw-on adapters that have covered my uses so far . . . . . the '27 will need the flat plate though, and I can see where the relatively thin, (1/8") rubber pad on the underside of the plate could be "iffy". . . . depending on how the chains and "J" hooks fit the MC.

For problem seals, I get a piece of 1/4" thick rubber gasket material from the marine store to augment / replace what's already there.

When I get to the bucket, I'll be sure to report how it worked and if I needed to make any mods.

 

Vacuum bleeders are not the best choice. I have one. I bought a pressure bleeder that is basically a weed sprayer with attachments to adapt to various master cylinders. You fill it with fluid, hook it to the master, pump it up, and bleed each wheel, etc. it works good on abs systems, which is why I bought it. Normally, I just use a brake fluid bottle with some fluid in it and a piece of clear plastic tubing to attach to each bleeder, one at a time, and just pump until no air is present. The fluid in the bottle acts as a check valve. No mess, one man job, easy! If I had all of the wasted time and fluid from doing it the old two man way, I would be a much younger man.