is this an air assist for brakes?

[drumyn61]

My new ramp truck came home today and I think this is related to air brakes. Should I attempt to rebuild it or scrap it and install hydroboost?

[C10 - C90 Bill]

I'm really not familiar with that part.

Could the truck possibly have Air-Over-Hydraulic?

Or is it Full Air?

Also what year and series is the truck?

Bill

[drumyn61]

Originally Posted by C10 - C90 Bill

I'm really not familiar with that part.

Could the truck possibly have Air-Over-Hydraulic?

Or is it Full Air?

Also what year and series is the truck?

Bill

1962 C40, it looks like it uses vacuum from the engine?
Posted via Mobile Device

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Looks like a type of Vacuum assisted Hydraulic Brakes.

That canister looks pretty nice for a '62. It may not be the original. Hopefully someone with some specific knowledge on it will be jumping in.

Are the Brakes not working at the present time?

[drumyn61]

Originally Posted by C10 - C90 Bill

Looks like a type of Vacuum assisted Hydraulic Brakes.

That canister looks pretty nice for a '62. It may not be the original. Hopefully someone with some specific knowledge on it will be jumping in.

Are the Brakes not working at the present time?

The brakes work great, I just want to understand what I have so that if something goes wrong, I'll know how to fix it.

I'm worried that if there is a rubber seal in it and it deteriorates, is there a replacement.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

You also may want to find a factory Chevy Truck Service Manual covering the year and series of your truck. They are good books to have.

[drumyn61]

I found it!

[Rich 5150 69]

Midland Ross brake booster, only problem with them is you can`t split the brake system..
http://dave78chieftain.com/MidlandRoss.html

[61K10]

here's the 1/2t version for my 61. we used to put them on street rods that had Mustang front end conversions. duel master and was plumbed into the front only. worked great with that set-up. Been quite a few year ago.

[drumyn61]

I'm a little worried about the single cylinder master on this truck, I want trustworthy stopping power but of course I want it to look somewhat period correct.

[Ken Cook]

Originally Posted by drumyn61

I'm a little worried about the single cylinder master on this truck, I want trustworthy stopping power but of course I want it to look somewhat period correct.

The real question is, do you want to look period correct before or after the crash?
If you lose the fluid in that single reservoir, you will look period correct before and after the crash.

[drumyn61]

Originally Posted by ken cook

the real question is, do you want to look period correct before or after the crash?
If you lose the fluid in that single reservoir, you will look period correct before and after the crash.

exactly!!

[61K10]

Not saying it never happened to someone but i have never seen it. I'm an old guy now and had many a car and tks that had a single reservoir master = my Dads cars and trucks and friends. I never heard or saw one that lost their brakes.

NOW I'm not saying not to change to a duel (which is a safety up grade) just my experience in the early years.

Isn't a 40 similar to a 30 Maybe up grade to disc and a hydroboost?

Nice truck by the way.

[Rich 5150 69]

That happened to two members on here something like 15 years back...two friends heading out to a show, the one in back lost brakes and slammed into his best friends truck...both mid sixties trucks...they had pics on the site...urging members the need to change out to split systems...

[61K10]

How about a little visual maintenance through out the brake system on old tks or any car for that matters. I took all my stock stuff of my tk as i wasn't happy how it stopped. These tks need more than a duel master to stop with the speeds and traffic we have nowadays.

[drumyn61]

I went through the brakes yesterday and they seem in great shape, even the driveshaft E-brake. I do wonder though, is there a direct disc brake swap for these big trucks?

[drumyn61]

I drove out to woodland hills to pick it up. I figured I would drive out, load up and go home.

After overheating a few times and mushy brakes I finally arrived home. I opened the master and there was about a teaspoon of brake fluid. Brakes are bleed, new radiator and a pertronix installed in the distributer, she is one happy "Toe" Truck!

I really should not have driven down Benedict canyon before inspecting the brakes.

[drumyn61]

Originally Posted by 61K10

How about a little visual maintenance through out the brake system on old tks or any car for that matters. I took all my stock stuff of my tk as i wasn't happy how it stopped. These tks need more than a duel master to stop with the speeds and traffic we have nowadays.

Do you have a picture of your engine compartment?

['63GENIII]

Originally Posted by 61K10

How about a little visual maintenance through out the brake system on old tks or any car for that matters. I took all my stock stuff of my tk as i wasn't happy how it stopped. These tks need more than a duel master to stop with the speeds and traffic we have nowadays.

I totally agree. While I used to like staying as original as possible, towing with a combined weight of over 11 - 12K and having to make a panic stop for some idiot in a commuter who cut me off was enough to get me on the upgrade path.

At the very least if you're gonna be carrying vehicles around, front power disc and big rear drums payoff big time. 4 wheel disc is cool but I wouldn't say a necessity.
Power front disc at a minimum though. I wonder if later C30 front discs would be possible swap?

Towing anything is stressful enough with the way everyone else drives these days. Being able to stop when I want and even more importantly when I need to has taken the "white knuckle" out of it for me.

[drumyn61]

Originally Posted by '63GENIII

I totally agree. While I used to like staying as original as possible, towing with a combined weight of over 11 - 12K and having to make a panic stop for some idiot in a commuter who cut me off was enough to get me on the upgrade path.

At the very least if you're gonna be carrying vehicles around, front power disc and big rear drums payoff big time. 4 wheel disc is cool but I wouldn't say a necessity.
Power front disc at a minimum though. I wonder if later C30 front discs would be possible swap?

Towing anything is stressful enough with the way everyone else drives these days. Being able to stop when I want and even more importantly when I need to has taken the "white knuckle" out of it for me.

I couldn't have said it better myself!

[Brad54]

Has any member here had a wheel cylinder or caliper start leaking on one of their modern cars?
I have. It's not a big deal, they're wear items like everything else.
On a single reservoir system on a vintage vehicle, when you loses a wheel cylinder, you lose all your brakes.
I rebuilt the entire brake system on my '54 Buick several years ago, and a month or two later, one of the new rear wheel cylinders let lose, soaking the inside of the drum with Dot 3.
No front brakes, and one of the two rear brakes was slick, so I had to stop the car with a single drum with the emergency brake.
Physics is a *****: it wouldn't stop. I also slammed it down into 1st, but it didn't matter: I blew through an intersection and stopped well on the other side of it.
That crossroad was non-stop semi trucks from 9-5.
I went into work early that day and the road was empty.
If my comparatively little Buick won't stop on a single rear drum, your truck won't.

[drumyn61]

I think my plan is to buy a donor 77-88 chevy dually and use the suspension and hydro boost brakes as well as possibly the TH400 transmission.

The one thing I don't understand though, are my wheels going to bolt on to newer disc brake hubs?

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by drumyn61

I think my plan is to buy a donor 77-88 chevy dually and use the suspension and hydro boost brakes as well as possibly the TH400 transmission.

The one thing I don't understand though, are my wheels going to bolt on to newer disc brake hubs?

Just a 'from my experience': I built a 1965 Dodge 1-ton into a ramp truck, and used it happily for several years, moving 2 'elephants' simultaneously--one on ramp truck and 2nd on a tow dolly or tow bar behind. (I kept in mind I was driving with inadequate brakes!) These elephants were often two 1971-76 Pontiac GranVilles and/or Catalinas(I bought mainly from a Pont.-Mercedes dealership about 140 miles away).
The brakes were all "original" exc. for adding a power booster. Never a problem; and then......

Sold my 'rig' to a friend who hauled similarly except to and from an auction sale about 100 miles one way. HE KEPT POPPING LUG STUDS ON REAR. I cringed every time he made the turn at my lot, often with just 4 studs on a rear wheel. He asked around and 'they' convinced him it was due to having just 5 lug wheels. Problem persisted until he sold truck several years later.
Please stay safe.
Sam

[drumyn61]

I want to bypass this air assist, can i just loosen a hose clamp and plug the hose?

I DECIDED THAT I AM GOING TO BUY A DONOR TRUCK WITH A 454 ENGINE, 400 TRANS AND DISC BRAKE WITH HYDRO BOOST AND SWAP IT OUT.

[vince1]

I guess my dad had too many things to do rather than worry about maintenance. I experienced two single cylinder failures when driving with him, one in a 48 Chev panel and the other in a 46 Dodge.