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Old 01-19-2019, 10:11 PM   #1
Rick Thompson
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Default 1940 Ford Brakes

I am rebuilding the Brake Cylinders on my 40 Ford.
I do not drive the 40 very often and the Brake Cylinder Pistons seize up.
My question is: A) Can silicone grease be applied to the pistons without causing any issues/harm? B) Can a DOT5 Brake Fluid be used to replace a DOT3 Brake Fluid in the 1940 Ford without causing any negative issues? C) Would using a DOT5 Brake Fluid be a solution to reduce Brake Cylinder Piston seize up?
THANKS !!!
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Old 01-19-2019, 10:40 PM   #2
19Fordy
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Default Re: 1940 Ford Brakes

Flush your system with denatured alcohol as
suggested here:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ake-fluid.html
DOT 5 will eliminate the problems you have. Been using it in my 40 for last 25 years.
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Old 01-19-2019, 10:47 PM   #3
philipswanson
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Default Re: 1940 Ford Brakes

I broke down and bought some new Lincoln brakes for up front and put new cylinders and linings on the rear on my 40 wagon. Speedway furnished the parts. Not really that expensive.
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Old 01-19-2019, 11:32 PM   #4
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Default Re: 1940 Ford Brakes

Quote:
Originally Posted by philipswanson View Post
I broke down and bought some new Lincoln brakes for up front and put new cylinders and linings on the rear on my 40 wagon. Speedway furnished the parts. Not really that expensive.

But, do your wheel cylinders corrode and seize after sitting in a damp, humid environment? That is the problem here. If your "Lincoln" brake cylinders are like mine, they are plain iron that will rust.
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Old 01-19-2019, 11:46 PM   #5
cas3
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Default Re: 1940 Ford Brakes

all my life i was taught to only use brake fluid as a honing fluid, and as an assembly fluid. plain ol dot 3, however, here in the mosquito swamp i have had seizures too. lets face it, brake fluid absorbs moisture, so why put it on the pistons??? i started using a skim coat of antiseize years ago, never had problems with that, (keep it off the rubber cups), and my last rebuild just last week i used sylglide. its made for disc brakes really, (steel pistons) but is good for rubber and supposedly does not dry out and get tacky. again just a skim coat as it is a silicone base that should not be mixed with the dot 3. not time proven by me yet, but others have made the claims, so we'll see
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Old 01-20-2019, 11:27 AM   #6
19Fordy
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Default Re: 1940 Ford Brakes

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My experience has been that if you use DOT 5 the inside of the wheel cylinders won't rust.
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Old 01-20-2019, 12:32 PM   #7
modela4shane
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Default Re: 1940 Ford Brakes

I have had good success using a product by INTERNATIONAL BRAKE INDUSTRIES INC. Its assembly lube fluid part #9440. Apply it to ALL internal parts and apply liberally to the pistons and the inside of the outer boots to stop moisture intrusion. It has worked good for me and stopped piston seizing and cup bonding, tearing. My local NAPA turned me on to this product and they stock it.
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Old 01-20-2019, 05:50 PM   #8
Ken/Alabama
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Default Re: 1940 Ford Brakes

I've had Dot 5 in one of my 40s for 24 years and going on 12 years in my other 40 and never a problem.
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Old 01-20-2019, 06:43 PM   #9
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Default Re: 1940 Ford Brakes

I have had Silicone brake fluid in my hot rod for 30 years,org Lincoln brakes front and rear. Never any problem. I am using it in my 49 Canadian Merc 1/2 ton. Jag XJS 12 front and rear suspension.
Last week I was in Port Angeles and went into an Auto parts store and they had a couple of cans. They blew it out to me as they can not sell it? Why I ask?
Apparently it and ABS does not get along. When the ABS is activated and the rapid snubbing is happening then it foams? and the foam takes a long time to dissipate and the pedal goes soft.
That is what they told me. Any of you heard that?Seems that Dot 5.1 is a replacement as it has a high boiling point but is still Glycol.
My truck does not have ABS so I do not care and the Hot Rod works like a charm.
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Old 01-20-2019, 10:23 PM   #10
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Default Re: 1940 Ford Brakes

Quote:
Originally Posted by 27TV8 View Post
I have had Silicone brake fluid in my hot rod for 30 years,org Lincoln brakes front and rear. Never any problem. I am using it in my 49 Canadian Merc 1/2 ton. Jag XJS 12 front and rear suspension.
Last week I was in Port Angeles and went into an Auto parts store and they had a couple of cans. They blew it out to me as they can not sell it? Why I ask?
Apparently it and ABS does not get along. When the ABS is activated and the rapid snubbing is happening then it foams? and the foam takes a long time to dissipate and the pedal goes soft.
That is what they told me. Any of you heard that?
Seems that Dot 5.1 is a replacement as it has a high boiling point but is still Glycol.
My truck does not have ABS so I do not care and the Hot Rod works like a charm.
www.1948fordpickup.blogspot.ca
27TV8
==============================================



That is correct, Dot 5 (silicone) should Not be put into an anti-lock brake
system, as it will get zillians of air bubbles from the fast action of ABS.

Dot 5.1 is Glycol based and can be mixed with Dot 3 and Dot 4, but Never
mix Dot 5.1 (glycol) with Dot 5 (silicone), the mix will turn to snot. :ee







.
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Old 01-21-2019, 11:02 AM   #11
philipswanson
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Default Re: 1940 Ford Brakes

Quote:
Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe View Post
But, do your wheel cylinders corrode and seize after sitting in a damp, humid environment? That is the problem here. If your "Lincoln" brake cylinders are like mine, they are plain iron that will rust.
Not a problem here in sunny San Diego.
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Old 01-22-2019, 07:26 PM   #12
Flathead Fever
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Default Re: 1940 Ford Brakes

We used to use McKay brake assembly lube at work when rebuilding wheel cylinders, master cylinders and disc brake calipers. Its some real slippery stuff and makes it easy to assemble the parts. Its thick enough that it will stay in place until your ready to add the brake fluid. Its a little tough to press in a disc brake caliper piston past the internal square seal. The piston has to be absolutely straight. You smear this goop around in there. Then you pull the piston in with a "C" clamp. The goop helps a lot. A little bottle should last you a lifetime. We had about 400 vehicles in the fleet at one time, back when we were rebuilding all the wheel cylinders. We just had a EIS box with an assortment of all the different rubber cup sizes. We almost always never used a cylinder rebuild kit. If there is no wear you just spray a little WD-40 or brake fluid in there. Make about one or two passes though them with a ball hone. We rarely had pits in the bores. If there were any they were usually in the center where the seals do not ride so the pits don't matter. If you hone them, clean the bore out real good. Take a paper towel and some brake clean and keep cleaning until the paper towel is coming nice and white. Clean the pistons good, make sure there are no serious scuff marks on their sides. Put a little of this goop on your finger and wipe it around the inside of the bore. Smear it all over the seal and pistons and stick everything back in. Make sure the seal is facing the correction direction or your going to have big problem In 30-years I maybe went through just a few small bottles of this assembly lube, (including the one I took home as part of my retirement package). By then they did not want mechanics rebuilding cylinders because of the liability. I never killed anybody, not even a near miss. There is probably nobody left there now that even knows what lives inside of a wheel cylinder?

You can use brake fluid to assemble your wheel cylinders if don't want to buy this stuff. How often are you going to use this stuff at home? If the cylinders are going to sit for a long time before you use them then I would use the assembly lube. You might need to go to a "real" auto parts store to find it. Nobody at the others are going to have a clue what you are talking about. They can probably order it for you and get it in one day. I'd take the part number with you to increase your chances.

Buy the very best brake line wrenches you can afford. The Snap-On brake line wrenches would loosen the steel lines that other professional wrenches would not. A lot less chance of rounding off the nut. Never-ever use an open end wrench, you will round off the nut. We had some trucks that ran around up in the mountains in the snow. The nuts would rust to the steel tubing. You could heat the nut red hot and most of the time it would brake loose but I really did not feel comfortable doing that to a brake line. What was better was not to touch the line. Leave the cylinder bolted on the truck and hone them on the vehicle ( not broke don't touch).
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Last edited by Flathead Fever; 01-22-2019 at 07:35 PM.
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