Bronco II Rear Brake Problem

1989 Ford Bronco II. Rear brakes not working. Replaced brake
cylinders. With pedal depressed all the way to the floor, I can still
turn the wheel by hand. Turned adjustment to the point where the wheel
barely turns, but it still turns when brake is depressed. Removed
drum, and new cylinders move very little when brake is pressed. It's
almost like there isn't any fluid, or very little, getting to the rear
brakes. When I bleed rear brakes, fluid does come out, but very little
compared to bleeding front brakes. Any ideas suggestions on getting
rear brakes working?

There is a proportioning valve on the system that prevents rear brake
lock up so you don't do 360's every time you jam on the brakes. You
should still feel some drag though.

Some of these valves have a pin in the end that needs to be held
stationary when you bleed the brakes to get the air out. If you can get
the pedal to the floor, I would suspect air in the system.

What kind of shape is the flex hose from the rear to the body? Maybe it
has ballooned out?

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

bnhcomputing wrote:
>
> 1989 Ford Bronco II. Rear brakes not working. Replaced brake
> cylinders. With pedal depressed all the way to the floor, I can still
> turn the wheel by hand. Turned adjustment to the point where the wheel
> barely turns, but it still turns when brake is depressed. Removed
> drum, and new cylinders move very little when brake is pressed. It's
> almost like there isn't any fluid, or very little, getting to the rear
> brakes. When I bleed rear brakes, fluid does come out, but very little
> compared to bleeding front brakes. Any ideas suggestions on getting
> rear brakes working?

I'll check the flex hose, about this valve, can you give detail of
where to find/locate it? Kind of a newbie to drum break work.

Thank you,

Mike Romain wrote:
> There is a proportioning valve on the system that prevents rear brake
> lock up so you don't do 360's every time you jam on the brakes. You
> should still feel some drag though.
>
> Some of these valves have a pin in the end that needs to be held
> stationary when you bleed the brakes to get the air out. If you can get
> the pedal to the floor, I would suspect air in the system.
>
> What kind of shape is the flex hose from the rear to the body? Maybe it
> has ballooned out?
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
>
> bnhcomputing wrote:
> >
> > 1989 Ford Bronco II. Rear brakes not working. Replaced brake
> > cylinders. With pedal depressed all the way to the floor, I can still
> > turn the wheel by hand. Turned adjustment to the point where the wheel
> > barely turns, but it still turns when brake is depressed. Removed
> > drum, and new cylinders move very little when brake is pressed. It's
> > almost like there isn't any fluid, or very little, getting to the rear
> > brakes. When I bleed rear brakes, fluid does come out, but very little
> > compared to bleeding front brakes. Any ideas suggestions on getting
> > rear brakes working?

It should be just down below the MC on the frame. If you follow the
brake lines from the Master, they will lead to it. It should have a
rubber button you pull off to see the pin. Some have a pin that comes
out as you push the pedal, some that suck in and I have seen some with
no pin. There are special tool to clip onto it to hold it steady, but I
usually manage with pump pliers or vise grips. Once I used a penny over
it with a hose clamp holding the penny. That was a push out pin.

The only way I know to lock up the rear drum brakes is to use my
emergency brake. Watch out where you try that, make sure you have
room.... You can spin out amazingly fast.

Mike

bnhcomputing wrote:
>
> I'll check the flex hose, about this valve, can you give detail of
> where to find/locate it? Kind of a newbie to drum break work.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Mike Romain wrote:
> > There is a proportioning valve on the system that prevents rear brake
> > lock up so you don't do 360's every time you jam on the brakes. You
> > should still feel some drag though.
> >
> > Some of these valves have a pin in the end that needs to be held
> > stationary when you bleed the brakes to get the air out. If you can get
> > the pedal to the floor, I would suspect air in the system.
> >
> > What kind of shape is the flex hose from the rear to the body? Maybe it
> > has ballooned out?
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >
> > bnhcomputing wrote:
> > >
> > > 1989 Ford Bronco II. Rear brakes not working. Replaced brake
> > > cylinders. With pedal depressed all the way to the floor, I can still
> > > turn the wheel by hand. Turned adjustment to the point where the wheel
> > > barely turns, but it still turns when brake is depressed. Removed
> > > drum, and new cylinders move very little when brake is pressed. It's
> > > almost like there isn't any fluid, or very little, getting to the rear
> > > brakes. When I bleed rear brakes, fluid does come out, but very little
> > > compared to bleeding front brakes. Any ideas suggestions on getting
> > > rear brakes working?