Master Cylinder and Brake Lines

I have dutifully wire brushed the master cylinder and it looks sweet – there is something about a 55 year old patina and a retro design. I know some bronze sculptors that would kill for this look. Just for the record this has nothing to do with the mechanical functions, but then neither do high heels, sometimes looking good is the point. Regarding the mechanical part of this exercise, I have carefully taken the master cylinder apart and have the rebuild kit on standby.

As you would expect the insides are corroded and scored.  Could be a problem, but I don’t really want to buy a new one. After using 1000 grit sandpaper to hone the cylinder, I am just not sure that it is good enough. I decide to use a Lifeline – the neighborhood Goodyear shop. We take both our cars there and they do great work. I take a quick walk to the shop, it is just three blocks away. With the master cylinder in hand I confidently go in and talk to the salesperson at the counter. He gives it a look, admiring the patina (Ha!).

His first comment is that they never rebuild anything anymore. I am thinking to myself, can I cancel this Lifeline and reuse another time. Actually, I agree with him and we all know Dale does. If I was in business the time it takes to rebuild a part is cost prohibitive. He did look at it and basically said to try it, if there is no flow through the seals, you are good to go. If not, well there are plenty of options all involving new parts. The plan is to pressurize the brake system and check for leaks.

In my quest to reuse as many parts as are safe, I am going to use the existing brake lines. They seem to be in good shape, rusty, but solid. I take out my trusty wire brush and get to work. They clean up nicely and I spray on rust inhibiting primer, Magnific!  The compression fittings all turn, so I will be able to install the lines properly. Okay, all but one bad boy. You guessed it; the fittings on the long line would not turn. After crushing the brake line trying to turn the fitting, I used Uncle Hank’s automotive tip #5. Measure the old line with a string to get the accurate length and then buy a premade brake line at the auto shop.

Well my string said to get a 7’-1” line, Houston we could have a problem.  Sorry but no 7’-1” premade lines, however it is better to be lucky than good.  The store had a 6’ and a 1’ line, and the happy ending is the connector is 1’’, exactly what I needed. With my $2.00 pipe bending tool I formed the lines to the exact configuration needed, Sacre Bleu. By comparing the pictures I took before we disassembled the brake parts, I was able to re-install the master cylinder along with the front brake lines.

Oh sweet progress.

Pinion Nut Episode

There was a major oil leak from where the differential connects to the U-joint. Use of modern diagnostic MRI technology indicated that the pinion oil seal failed. This is not a fatal condition, but does require replacement. It was fairly easy to find a replacement part for the oil seal. The next step was to remove the pinion nut. First problem, this is a 1-5/8 inch size nut, translation into everyday speak – a Huge Ass Nut.  No one I knew had a socket this large; I figured I had to call Halliburton to send out some oil rig equipment and a drilling platform to get it off. Next issue, the pinion nut is a castle nut with slots for a cotter pin; this just makes it, well special.  The third issue was that Ricky Bobby the last person that put the pinion nut on used a chisel to tighten the nut. See reason one and two to understand why, he did not have a Hugh Ass Socket or know anyone at Halliburton, but he did have a big hammer.

The chisel technique basically fused the slots into the pinion threads making it impossible to remove the pinion nut. So Brian and I resorted to an advanced Man Technique, crack the nut off! This involves using a small drill bit to drill through the side of the nut, weakening the nut so that you can crack the nut in half with large hammer and chisel. I got out my brand new Harbor Freight drill bit and one metal filing came off and then it was like drilling with a wooden dowel. I used all 5 of my Barbie drill bits that were made in China with no progress. It was like trying to drill a hole into super hard steel with a piece of limp spaghetti. When things get tough the Manly thing to do it to buy bigger and better tools, so I bought 3 carbide bits at Home Depot, made in the USA. With one bit to spare I drilled through the nut and was able to split the nut.  Ouch!

 There was this little voice in my head that kept saying, it will take a miracle to find the replacement pinion nut, however, I was reassured by my pit crew that they were a dime a dozen and we could always make one as a last resort. Right…My first call was to Fastenal, one of my favorite stores, they have all the bolts and nuts anyone could want. The web site had a category dedicated to slotted nuts and even had a 1-1/8 diameter nut, just my size. Whoohoo!

Since I was out of town, my loving wife took my cracked nut to the Fastenal store and said she needed one of these for her husband. You have love her spunk. They made her put down the hammer and chisel before they would help her.

Turns out the pinion nut is very special, having 19 threads per inch, so Fastenal did not have one, but did offer to “fabricate” one for only $150.  When I retire I am going to get into the fabrication business and make a lot of money.

Next stop was Bills Truckstop web store, I gave them a call and while they did not have the part they did say that Randy’s Ring and Pinion would be my best bet. How could I go wrong, with Pinon in their name, they had to have it. Well, Randy’s catalog only went back to 1962, I have heard this before – is this a conspiracy? Okay, being resourceful I Binged - Huge Ass Pinion Nut, this is like Googling but not as good.  Let me make a socio-anthropological comment, it is scary that this is how we talk now.

After a number of dead ends I landed on West Coast Differentials, Jay the salesperson was very helpful, in fact he is the first salesperson that said he would look into something and call me back, that actually called me back. Luck was on my side and they had a 1-1/8 inch ID, 19 threads per inch, 1-5/8 OD Pinion slotted nut for a 1954 ¾ ton Chevy Pickup Truck. I took a deep breath and said the dreaded words – How Much? Silence, I could tell he was figuring out how much more he needed for those Laker tickets.  Twenty dollars was the reply and well he threw in the washer for good measure. All I could say was – Great! I was glad he didn’t say $50 dollars.

I got it in a few days and it looks great, they even dressed the threads, who said customer service was dead.



One Good Turn Deserves Another

The work on the brake system is progressing. After cleaning the drums, cylinders, and wheel brake parts with my trusty wire brush and chemical bath, I am rebuilding the cylinders. Two of the wheel cylinders are in good shape, but two have some corrosion. The shop manual says NOT to use an emery cloth to smooth out the cylinder inside, okay I won’t. It says to use a Crocus Cloth, - WTF! Okay, I am sure I need one, so off I go to the local parts store and ask the salesperson which aisle has the Crocus Cloth – I get the same look my daughter gives me when I ask her a question. “Huh”. No Crocus Cloth, so I decide that 1000 and 2000 sand paper will surely work.  I am going to sand the cylinder walls smooth and see if the seals hold, if not I can replace the units.

The temptation is to replace everything as all the parts are old, dirty, and rusty, not to mention almost 60 years old.  I have decided to reuse the parts if they still work and are not a hazard. I will replace them if they don’t work. It will be easy to replace the parts since I will have done the deed and will be past the learning curve.

Now for the brake drums. They had some grooves so I figure I should get them “turned”. Don’t know why I knew that, it must be something in the Man Genes.  Same reason geese know how to fly south for the winter.  It turns out that the local parts store turn brake drums for $12 bucks each, not bad.  I bundle up my cleaned 8-lug drums. This is a bit like how women clean up their house before the maid comes.  No man would take his dirty drums to be turned. I am off to the store for the turning!

Next thing I know I am talking to the salesperson and asking some questions about how you can tell when it is time to do the deed, when he comes out and asks “Why are you turning your drums, pilgrim”.  Well can you say deer in the headlights, I just looked at him and thought if I said it was in my DNA and it was turn my drums or fly south he might call the police.  While I was trying to come up with a reason, the lady salesperson, looked at the drums and pointed out that she could see some very small scoring, so maybe it was needed. Her ‘compassion gene’ kicked in, thank goodness.

That was when they informed me that I would need new brakes shoes, since everyone knew that once you turn the drums the old shoes would squeak like crazy if they were reused.  Okay, another conspiracy, so my question was, how much are new brake shoes? Oh not much $10 each, great I say, I will take four.

I got the drums turned and bought two sets of shoes and I am back to the garage.  Well the next day I take a look at the brakes shoes and they are 4 inches wide and a few inches short.  My old brake shoes are 2 inches wide.  Well I take the shoes back and explain that they are the wrong size.  Turns out that the stores computer only went back to 1962 (I have a 1954 truck) and the salesperson figured that since this was the oldest he had they would fit.  Something is wrong here.

Now I am looking for the brake shoes for a 1954 ¾ ton Chevy truck, code name “unobtainium”. However, I did find a couple of web stores that had them, but they were $50 a set. Oh well, par for the course. I ordered them and if I am lucky they will be on the same boat that my chrome wheels are one.

What do you know, a miracle happened and the new brake shoes arrived today.

Looking forward to a great weekend. I am going to sell the old shoes on eBay, anyone need 1962 brake shoes?

Chrome Wheels

Hot dawg I got new wheels. Surprisingly they make good looking wheels for 8-lug hubs. They are even fairly economical.  I found Custom Wheels Direct and ordered a set. Just a simple eight spoke chrome model. As I am learning nothing I order is ever in stock and they have to “Manufacture” them. I think there is a conspiracy going on.  The salesperson says it should only take about ten days for them to be prepared and then they will ship them on a cargo freighter going through the Panama Canal.

Well as you know there is still plenty to keep me busy, still no springs.

Check out my ride!



Leaf Spring Order Update

As you know the leaf springs were ordered weeks ago from Posies, they gave me a lead time of eight weeks because they had to manufacture the rear springs. The “lowered” springs for a ¾ ton truck are not a stock item. “Manufacture” is car parts code for “it is going to cost you more”. While longer than I wanted, there really wasn’t any other option and I figured it would take that long to get the frame in order anyway. I was correct about the time needed on the frame, but I won’t be able to piddle around on one component this long again, not if I want to finish in my lifetime.

About seven weeks out I started calling Posies to get a status on the springs. The first few times the representative said he would get with Manufacturing and call me back with a schedule. I did not get any callbacks and figured the delay was due to the shackle bushings being made in Japan and due to the recent Tsunami, the plant was wiped out. Yeah for the global supply chain.

When I suggested this scenario to Posies they very quickly and proudly informed me that “all parts were made in the good old USA”. Okay, but when is Manufacturing getting off their break and going to make something?

Near as I can tell from the information they will tell me, Posies needed to manufacture both the front and rear leaf springs, and choose this time as an opportunity to improve their overall manufacturing process. This I gather is not going so well.  Still no date, but I am moving on to the brakes and have plenty of things to keep me busy. In fact, I have to focus on individual steps in the process because the whole project can feel like those videos in Japan where the Tsunami overruns everything.

Dale came by this weekend and we put the final top coat on the frame. Check it off the list! It sure looks good. I even attached the spring bumpers to the frame. There is nothing like a spring day in Alabama, Sunday afternoon listening to Salsa music, and putting new parts on your truck. Heaven.