new 1950 b2b project

[bondvagabond]

Got my parts in the mail. Was able to get the spark plugs gapped and installed.

Picked up a nice set of old timey oregon license plates, not the black and white ones from 1950 but the blue and yellow ones from 1956-1974 for $3.

Next is to tear into the break system and rebuild it for safety. What is the normal method for releasing the ebrake handle? Is it just to turn it 90 degrees clockwise? My handle is stuck in the released position. Might have to do the motorcycle baggie of oil trick.

Also need to solder a braket on the radiator but forgot to grab a bar clamp from storage to do that today.

[Merle Coggins]

Yes, the parking brake handle pulls straight out to set the brake, and a quarter turn to the right (clockwise) will release the handle to release the brake. If you can't pull it out your cable may be siezed up. disconnect the cable on the engine side of the firewall and see if you can pull the handle mechinism. The cable is attached with a clip. Once the clip is removed you should be able to push it in and slide the ball, on the end of the cable, out of it's socket and remove the cable assembly.

 

Merle

[Jeff Balazs]

Yep. You can then fashion up a small funnel to the end of the cable and starting with penetrating oil get it lubricated. Keep running oil through it until you can get the inner cable to move and then work it back and forth. Motor oil works well at this point. These cables are surprisingly salvageable and that is good because no one makes over the counter direct replacement.

 

Jeff

[ggdad1951]

I sprayed mine with Aerokroil and let it soak in and worked it nice and free.  Also did it to a pretty beat up one as a back up.  Totally agree you can salvage these with some work!

[48Dodger]

Hey Hank (#70),

 

      IMO, There should be a ground strap from the engine to the firewall and the engine to the frame. If there isn't,  and you bolt to the frame.....there isn't enough pathway for the starter. It has to find its way to the starter through the radiator water or other small pathways. If you bolt up to the tranny.....you have a huge pathway to the starter. The smaller stuff can find small pathways and survive...but the starter needs power. I would still gound strap the engine to the firewall and frame. Just seems right.

 

48D    

[HanksB3B]

Tim,

 

One thing I've noticed about your build style is that while you are not always "by-the-book" your solutions are always practical and make sense.

While the connection from the battery to either the bell housing or transmission (what is factory) would eliminate the need for my ground strap from the engine to the frame, I agree it couldn't hurt to ground the cab to the frame. I'm trying to think where this actually happens.  All I can think of is the cab sitting on the rubber cab mounts and the mounting bolts. Where else would the cab pick up a ground connection, or is that your point ?

 

Thanks for the help,

 

Hank 

[Merle Coggins]

. Where else would the cab pick up a ground connection, or is that your point ?

 

Thanks for the help,

 

Hank 

 

Ground Path #1 - The steering column is clamped to the bottom of the dash, which is bolted to the frame.

Ground Path #2 - The parking brake cable housing is attached to the lever, which is bolted to the cab, and the other end is attached to the bell housing. And if that's not enough, the cable is also connected between the cab and trans.

Ground Path #3 - At least on the B1 and B2 trucks, there are two support rods that go between the radiator support and the cab.

Ground Path #4 - On B3 and B4 trucks with column shift, the shift lever is connected to the steering column (see above) and is also connected to the transmission.

Ground Path #5 - The choke and throttle cables, along with the temp sender tube, are held with a clamp on the firewall, and then attached to the engine.

[HanksB3B]

Merle,

 

TRue on all five counts. On #3 add my 51 B3B to the list of support rods.  I prefered the 48-50 configuration, set aside my hinged hood supports and installed the firewall bracketry, support rods (actually blacksmithed one) and Roberts Re-pop supports.  I found them very useful in aligning the dog house during my one man install. .    

 

Hank 

[48Dodger]

The only thing I would add to Merle's list is: path of least resistance.

 

Ground straps are designed (a large weave of wire) to allow an easy pathway. If you have "over" painted any of the bolts and brakets, you may have interupted service....(chuckle). You know what I mean.

 

48D

[Dave72dt]

If I'm not mistaken, the radiator support sits on a rubber pad and the fenders have rubber cushions at the cowl and lower fender mounts.  Grounding through flexible control cables probably isn't the best method as well as anything with pivot points and bushings.  They are not as good as a direct  ground.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Dave72dt

[Don Coatney]

What is there on the frame that needs grounding. No lights or other elecrtrical stuff is connected directly to the frame that I can think of. The body on the other hand has a lot of electrical stuff connected to it. I have installed an engine to body ground strap on my car. But I see no need to run a ground strip to the frame.

 

[ggdad1951]

Ground Path #1 - The steering column is clamped to the bottom of the dash, which is bolted to the frame.

Ground Path #2 - The parking brake cable housing is attached to the lever, which is bolted to the cab, and the other end is attached to the bell housing. And if that's not enough, the cable is also connected between the cab and trans.

Ground Path #3 - At least on the B1 and B2 trucks, there are two support rods that go between the radiator support and the cab.

Ground Path #4 - On B3 and B4 trucks with column shift, the shift lever is connected to the steering column (see above) and is also connected to the transmission.

Ground Path #5 - The choke and throttle cables, along with the temp sender tube, are held with a clamp on the firewall, and then attached to the engine.

 

Actually I'd disagree with #1, at least on my '51 there is a rubber grommet around the SC sleeve so there I no metal to metal contact there.

 

And here is a picture Hank,  as you can see the hole is right by the starter....

 

[Merle Coggins]

Actually I thought of that just after I posted it, Mark. But I didn't want to go back and change it. I figured I'd wait to see who would correct me. 

Edited November 27, 2013 by Merle Coggins

[Dave72dt]

Fuel tanks on the trucks are mounted to the frame and grounds are often an issue with the gauge failing to read correctly.  Lights require good grounds to work and are mounted in steel fastened to the chassis on rubber cushions that have little direct connection to the battery ground.  Perhaps the cars are different.  The cab to engine ground as Don has posted is very effective when the battery is grounded to either the cab or drivetrain.

 

I'll go back and edit my previous post to clarify it.

[bondvagabond]

Got the master cylinder pulled and cleaned up, gonna hit it with some paint and rebuild it.

[bondvagabond]

Happy turkey day everyone.

Got the master cylinder rebuilt and reinstalled. Dont have a fresh brake fluid so may have to wait till tomorrow to bleed and find leaks

[Don Coatney]

Did you bench bleed the master?  Picture shows a dual chamber but the principal is the same for a single cylinder.

 

[bondvagabond]

No, thats to keep from having to push an air bubble through the whole break line right? I didnt bench bleed my 76 scout or my 63 mercedes so figured id throw it on, since I didnt happennto have any fresh dot 3. If it doesnt work well it only takes 5 min to pull now that I cleaned up the mounting bolts.

[Don Coatney]

More like priming a pump.

[bondvagabond]

Yeah I havent had a problem with not bench bleeding yet, nock on wood. I Lube em up pretty liberally with brake fluid while I'm assembling them so maybe that's why. And I drip less brake fluid in my face when I don't. :-)

[TodFitch]

More like priming a pump.

On the '33 the brake light switch attaches to the master cylinder right where the brake lines attach. I just removed the switch and worked the pedal until I had fluid there to "prime the pump". Then remounted the switch and proceeded to bleed the system.

[bondvagabond]

Got the brakes bled, nice firm pedal no leaks anywhere and when I pulled the rear wheel cylinders apart they looked great inside.

Got the rears adjusted nicely, but when I go to adjust the front brakes I cant get them to release. I need to pull the front drums and see what is going on. I am so close to having it drivable!

If you looked straight down at the top of the transmission, my shifter has play rotationally like the hands of a clock. Is it just a pin I think I see on the passenger side of the shifter tower that prevents this motion and I can just pull my shifter and put a new pin and or weld in the wear in the slot the pin moves in to ccorrectthis play?

[bondvagabond]

I figured out what was up with my front brake. The non riveted friction matereal had separated from the metal base. My neighbor across the street is an old hotrodder. He is gonna advize me on riveting the material back on. If that doesnt work, it looks like roberts has new front pads.

[Don Coatney]

I am not a fan of rivited shoes for the reason you mentioned. You might consider sending your shoes to Tennessee Clutch and they can re-line them for you at a reasonable cost.

 

[B1B Keven]

I get my bonded brake shoes off of ebay. 59.99 per axle.