Brakes, brakes, brakes (C1600)

Hi all

A few C1600 brakes questions

1st up. Decided to check the vacuum system. All looks and sucks great. There is an air filter on the firewall that I assume makes sure no crap gets sucked into the vacuum pump. It was full of red liquid. Did not smell like brake fluid. Is this meant to be something special? Smelt like nothing at all actually.

2nd. Replaced the cylinders on passenger front wheel. Prior to this the brakes were crap. They would grab at the bottom of first stroke and if you wanted more do it again. Now it goes to the floor first stroke and grabs on second. Rear brakes not adjusted properly? Both lockup well on second pump. Still a huge glug of air in the system? If air, might buy different colour brake fluid so I know when the new stuff is through.

I do wonder wether the brakes on these were difficult from the day they left the factory.

Thanks and regards
Aaron

So I just took her for a drive. Can lock the brakes up at the bottom of the first pedal stroke but still not happy with it. Any suggestions?

The C1600 brakes were pretty good,especially the later ones that had twice as wide front shoes/drums......The pedal should go down about 1/2 way to the floor and come up hard.....you should also be able to feel the booster putting more pressure on the brakes in the last 1 inch of travel.......Personally.I would not drive a truck with a single line hydraulic system .......too easy to get a failure......You have got to experience the feeling as the pedal goes to the floor ,and there a dozen cars stopped in front of you......and the handbrake is just about useless.......Its also possible to get a fail like this if the booster jams up,which they used to do with faulty parts in the PBR kits made in Bangla Desh.......EDIT......just crack the bleeders a little at a time,and air will come out ,and the brakes will improve.Takes a few times.

Red fluid, is probably filter oil.

The filter oil I have handled is sticky. Really sticky. This wasn’t. Just an oily substance.

They are just small oil bath air cleaners,stop dust getting into the booster,then into the engine......If you got trailer brakes there will be two of the cans on the firewall......Just about every ex government truck had trailer brakes.

AaronS wrote: The filter oil I have handled is sticky. Really sticky. This wasn’t. Just an oily substance.

There are different types for paper and foam, from memory unifilter have a red waterery one. The light type is for a paper type filter. The thicker heavier type for foam. Have some in the zhed somewhere.
Oil bath, l just use engine oil.

mentioned red,Im thinking autotrans fluid......anything sticky wont work ,just block up ......same oil as the engine is ideal.

JOHN.K. wrote: mentioned red,Im thinking autotrans fluid......anything sticky wont work ,just block up ......same oil as the engine is ideal.

Quite possible, the paper filter oil is very similar. Not tacky at all, more like water.

If your pedal is going to the floor first push then working properly on the second push I'd say the brakes need adjusting.... Too much gap between the shoes and drums... The first stroke almost fills the wheel cylinders and the second pump fills the last bt efore the shoes finally hit the drums.... F it was air in the line your pedal would feel spongy as air in the lines will compress where as the fluid won't... Kinda feels like you're stepping on a big balloon if there's air in the line... Should feel nice and solid