B1B Rear axle Brake Line Routing

[squirebill]

1949 B1B.  So finally getting to bending the brake lines for this truck.  Have a question about the line routing on the rear axle. From the left rear wheel the line comes out of the upper wheel cylinder at a slight angle forward. Guessing it then drops down to the top of the axle tube.  My question is: does it then go in front of the spring hanger bracket or behind the spring hanger bracket?  A picture is worth a thousand words so if any photos are available they would be much appreciated.  Also bought all wheel cylinders from Andy Bernbaum.  The outlet port is drilled and tapped for a hydraulic hose rather than a hydraulic hard line. Anyone know a manufacturer and part number for a hydraulic adaptor fitting to take me from the female hose port to the female 1/4" female inverted flare port?

[Desotodav]

I copied the rear brake lines from original ones for my 53 truck recently. Hope these photos help...

[Brent B3B]

I am begging, will someone please go over to desotodav shop and dirty it up, I can't take it!

 

 

[Desotodav]

I am begging, will someone please go over to desotodav shop and dirty it up, I can't take it!

 

 That's funny Brent. I haven't spent much time down in the shed of late as I have been working plenty of overtime at work to fund panel-beating bills on my 53 truck build, so the shed is actually a bit messy at present! I will update my build thread soon as re-assembly of some major body parts for the coupe truck is about to begin.

 

It's a good thing that you don't see photos of the other end of my shed as it is full of medical and surgical supplies for third world countries. Mum and I are working on sending hospital supplies in another 2 shipping containers to Papua New Guinea and Africa later in the year... so the other end of my shed is full of hospital beds, oncology chairs, wheel chairs, walking crutches, ECG machines and many operating theatre supplies. I'm hoping to bring my big workbenches down from the other shed once the hospital supplies have been sent and then I will start getting my spare truck parts better organised.... but I'm not sure how that will work as our charity work sees a continual stream of medical items coming and going through that shed!

Edited July 8, 2016 by Desotodav

[squirebill]

Guys...thanks so much to all for the photos of the brake lines. Very helpful.  Did some research for the adapter fittings and purchased two from Summit Racing, their part number EDD-265400, Brass Fitting, Adapter, Hydraulic, 7/16-20 male to 1/4' inverted flare female.  Have to order the copper crush washer to fit between  the hex of the fitting and the body of the wheel cylinder as a separate item.  I didn't so will be on the search for them locally.  Also will have to open up the hole in the brake backing plate to allow for the hex of the fitting.  Thanks again to all.

[Dave72dt]

EDD 265400 is the same as Edelmann 265400, suppliers to most of your local parts houses.  Summit got them from Edelmann as well.

[squirebill]

Dave72dt is correct, the poly bag the adapter fittings came in were stamped with Edelmann 265400.  Have another couple of questions.  Installed the wheel cylinders I purchased from Andy Bernbaum.  Had to open the hole in the backing plate to allow clearance for the adapter fitting hex to come through. Bent the tube as necessary.  All good. Cleaned the brake drum and tried to install with no luck.  Brake was adjusted to smallest diameter but drum wouldn't load on the spindle shaft. Traced it down to the end of the shoe adjacent to the wheel cylinder.  Both shoes stuck out a bit preventing the drum from going on.  Only thing I could figure was to file the slot at the end of the shoe a little deeper.  This is the slot that the piston pin fits into.  It was about 1/8" deep and I took it to 1/4" deep.  The drum now goes on but still have a slight drag on the brakes with them at their minimum adjustment.  Anybody ever have a similar situation?  All components used on this brake: drum, shoes, springs, etc. were the same as when I mothballed the vehicle.  Only new parts were the wheel cylinders, adapter fitting and brake line. Go figure.  Second question:  does anybody know an easy way to remove the horseshoe shaped keepers that retain everything on the anchor pin?  I usually chase it around with a screwdriver until I can force another small screw driver between it and the anchor pin and pry it out.  Must be another way that is less hit and miss.  Regards to all.

[Merle Coggins]

The piston push pins are probably too long for those cylinders. There are different pin lengths and pistons with different size dimples. If they aren't matched up right you get the issue you have.

[Dave72dt]

Try using a pair of snap ring pliers, the type used on external snap rings that do not have the eyelets in the ends.  Even the ones for the eyelet type may work to open up the horseshoe.

[squirebill]

Thanks guys for your quick responses.  Different length piston push pins......who'd a thunk it.  Guess my remedy of filing the brake shoe slot gives an equivalent remedy to grinding the piston push pins shorter. Right now the end of the brake shoe just "kisses" the rubber boot of the wheel cylinder.

 

External snap ring pliers is a great idea for those horseshoe clips.  Definitely will give it a try.

[squirebill]

OK....have the brake lines installed from the rear wheels up to the 3 way junction block on top of the rear axle. Need to install hose from the 3 way junction block up to the hose bracket that mounts to the frame just in front of the upper left rear shock mount bracket.  There is then a hard line from the end of the hose up to a 4 way junction block that is located somewhere along the frame (drivers side).  I have searched for a stock 4 way junction block with no success.  I did find a used 4 way junction block with brake light switch for 1/4 inverted flare brake lines on Ebay.  It is from a 1988 Polaris Sportsman 500 snow-mobile and cost me $11.25.  My question is approximately how far forward should this block be from the hose bracket that is mounted to the frame by the shock mount ? An approximate dimension would be greatly appreciated.  Is this 4 way junction block mounted to the frame or does it just float with the 4 hydraulic lines supporting it.  Best regards to all and thanks in advance.

[Desotodav]

Try this thread... http://p15-d24.com/topic/24189-routing-brake-and-gas-lines/?hl=routing ... as there is some good information located within. and pictures towards the end.

 

Edit... Picture from manual added also.

Edited July 28, 2016 by Desotodav

[John U]

My brake light switch is just behind te cab in a block just for it its been like that since my dad got the truck somewhere in 1979 or 80 put in a new switch back then same one since

[squirebill]

Gents....the brake project continues.  Since I was in the process of getting the brakes to work again, and having read the recommendation to switch over to a dual chamber master cylinder, decided to go that route.  Took some measurements of the dual chamber master cylinder on my 2002 Chevy avalanche and thought I could befriend it to the '49 B1B.  Purchased a scrapyard MC for the Chevy off of Ebay with reservoir.  Measured it up, cut to fit and filed to suit and mounted it to the bell housing.  Then ran new hydraulic hard lines.  The port for the secondary chamber of the MC (the one farthest from the bell housing) has a line running along the frame to the hose that feeds the rear brakes.  The primary port (closest to the bell housing) has a line going to a "TEE" fitting, then a line off the T to the right front and another line off the T to the left front brakes. Installed the front wheel cylinders.  Mounted the plastic reservoir to the fire wall above the MC and ran hoses from the reservoir to the MC. Filled the reservoir with DOT 3 and began to bleed the brakes.  Because of the way my truck is sitting started with the lowest wheel cylinder (happened to be left front, then right front, the left rear lower, right rear lower, left rear upper, right rear upper.  I do what I call a "gravity bleed" .  It works well, takes some time, but I can do it by myself.  I slip a clear length of poly hose over the bleed fitting and arc the hose slightly upwards, crack the bleed fitting and wait for gravity to fill the line going from the MC to the wheel cylinder, fill the wheel cylinder, and start to fill the poly hose.  You can easily see the bubbles come out the bleed fitting through the little bit of oil in the hose.  When the bubbles stop, close the bleed fitting, remove the hose and go to the next bleed fitting.  Like I said, takes some time, especially getting to the rear brakes, but you get a very good bleed, and can do it by yourself. So after all this, jump in the cab, press the brake pedal and it is very soft and went to the floor.  Bummer, pump it a few times and would not pump up.  Check brake drums and sure enough have a leak at the left front.  Pull drum and wheel cylinder is leaking form the rear piston.  Pulled wheel cylinder, disassemble and find a small piece  (1/16 in. diameter) of something, looked like could have been a chip of paint/paper on the cup seal. Reinstalled cup and piston and poured a couple tablespoons of brake fluid on top of it from the other end of the wheel cylinder.  Stood it up on it's end on a piece of cardboard.  Waited 2 hours, checked for seepage on the cardboard and found none.  Reinstalled wheel cylinder on truck.  Re-bleed, push pedal and same result, complete with wheel cylinder leaking.  Had brake adjusted just in from a slight drag so pretty sure leakage is not from piston/cup moving too far in the cylinder.  Pulled wheel cylinder again and plugged the hose at the thread that would go into the wheel cylinder.  Pressed brake pedal and had good pedal that went about half way to floor and was solid.  So my problem is that I have a new wheel cylinder from Bernbaum (actually 2 years old but just installing them now) that is leaking at a piston cup when pressurized.  Any recommendations on how I might remedy this situation? Any novel ideas of how I might pressure test the wheel cylinder on the bench? 

[Iowaboy]

I know it has been a year; did you get your wheel cylinder fixed?  I am presently having the same problem with a wheel cylinder on the front passenger wheel, it is also a new Bernbaum WC. I called Bernbaum and they sent me another, and it leaks also. VERY Frustrated.

I have removed that drum and WC seven times, still have a slight leak. Have tried new copper crush washers also. 

The leak is so small I can’t tell where it’s coming from, I have to wait until a drop of BF forms on the underside of the backing plate. Hopefully, you will see this reply. My truck is a B2B. 

iowaboy. 

Edited December 19, 2017 by Iowaboy
Added info.

[ggdad1951]

man this brings back memories from my first build...

http://p15-d24.com/topic/24675-rear-brakes/