63 air in brake lines

[ejw71]

Have bleed brake wheel cylinders. Brake pedal feel is very very soft. Brakes do function but do so at about half way through pedal travel. Once brakes take hold stopping is very rapid. Friend suggested using gravity method to get air out of line. Open wheel cylinders bleed values to start fluid flow. Always maintaining proper fluid in master cylinder. Thanks for the early and this help. Ed

[c4c5specialist]

Hi there,

Are the brake shoes adjusted correctly ??????

Allthebest, c4c5

[ejw71]

The shoes, I think, are adjusted. All wheels/tires spin with a slight drag. Manual instructions say to drive car in reverse several times for the automatic brake adjusters to function. This operation is to set shoe to drum clearance. I did drive in reverse several time but didn't sense any improvement in pedal. This is probably due to me setting the shoe to drum distance via the spinning tire method. What is your view of the gravity method of eliminating brake line air? Thanks, Ed

[ejw71]

Gravity method didn't work. Back to square one. Will use helper to bleed brakes the usual way. Brakes do stop the car but the pedal feel is very different. No return pressure from brake pedal when stopping car. When brakes do function, at half the pedal travel, they come on very fast. Never felt a pedal like this. It's simply very soft. Car has power brakes. Ed

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,

Let us know how you do.

Allthebest, c4c5

[motorman]

did you bench bleed the master cylinder ??? rent a pressure bleeder at the auto parts

[ejw71]

Master cylinder wasn't replaced so didn't bench bleed it. But local mechanic said it may be the problem. Didn't know pressure bleeder was available at part stores. Will check it out. Only other items not replaced are rear brake shoes. They look fine. But so did the right front ones. Which, I think, had oil on them at one time. So, maybe the rears also had been subject to a leaking wheel cylinder. I now have a new rule about brakes on old cars. Replace everything. Much thanks for the assistance. Will report back when done. Ed