Brakes won't bleed!!!

[custom1106]

I got a '69 F250 that I'm trying to get the brakes working on. when I got the truck the brake pedal went to the floor. The truck has manual 4 wheel drum. I found that the drivers front brake hose was pulled out of the wheel cylinder. I replaced the wheel cylinder and hose, adjusted the brakes at all 4 wheels, and then tried to bleed the system. I started from the right rear and worked my way to the front....no pedal. so I replaced the master cylinder.....can't hurt right? Bled again untill no bubbles....still no pedal. Made sure I took my time to bench bleed the master right. What am I doing wrong? I'm, really frustrated at this point. I've never had this much hassle getting brakes bled. Even tried with a mighty vac. Thanks in advance for any help!

Custom

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

did you try to properly adjust the drums? i'd say they have too much slack in them

[fordman]

were you getting fluid out of every line when you bled it? did you see any brake fluid elsewhere on the frame or on the ground? i fno fluid then maybe a clogged line. or a leak in the system someplace. mayeb one of the wheel cylinders was leakign inside of the drums and it didnt show up. did you gravity bleed the system or have a helper and pump the brakes up and hold them?

[custom1106]

I had fluid at all 4 wheels, adjusted the brakes untill they had a little drag in them. No leaks present. Had a helper run the pedal during bleeding.

[fordman]

but it never gave any pedal at all during the whole process? maybe one of the brake slines isnt tight and its sucking air?

[custom1106]

Ive checked all junctions...everythings secure.

[fordman]

do you have a brake booster? could the new master be bad and leakign fluid into it and giving you a problem there? anohter kind o ffamous place fo rme anyway is the front crossmember line that goes over to the passenger side brake. seems to get a leak in it oncein a while for me. since the crossmember is so greasy on the trucks i have worked on. it is hard for me to tell if its leaking or not in that line because of all of the grease on the crossmember. what else can you tell me?

[custom1106]

well, the pedal feels the same way with either master cylinder. The pedal goes very close to its limit, then I feel something...like at the very end of it's travel. I'm getting really frustrated here... the truck has manual brakes, no booster.

[fordman]

well then if waa leaking you mihgt see it inside of the cab then. how many times did you bleed it once the new master was on and bench bled? maybe it needs to be done again.

[custom1106]

I've bled the system twice after the master was bench bled and installed.

[fordman]

when you bled the brakes. were you able to get the bleeder loose or did you have to bleed it from the line behind the wheel cylinder?

[custom1106]

all bleeders came loose without a problem

[kaptnkaos]

Try filling up the reservoir with fluid, then step on the brakes ad hold them on for a minute or so... then check the fluid level... mine acted something like that and it was the drivers side rear metal brake line.. it had a pin sized hole in the line.
I didn't see where you mentioned if they were vacumm assisst or manual. It could also be the diaphram in your brake booster.
If you have done all of the above, there is not much else left to check.

KaptnKA S

[fordman]

all i can think of is air in the system some place or a leak in one of the main lines. can you pump up the brakes at all? if you can get any pedal at all stand on them and then check for leaks like kapt said. or try bleddign them one more time and see if it finally lets some trapped air out.

[m-mman]

Last minute thought.
Are you SURE(!) your brakes are properly adjusted??? The symptoms are exactly like badly adjusted shoes.
You used the phrase 'had a little drag in them'. I have had wheels that 'had a little drag' that was caused by something else and the brakes were actually very loose.

This has been caused by having one of the newly installed shoes hang up on the backing plate and one shoe rubbed the drum but was not properly adjusted.

Suggestion: Just for fun, adjust all 4 brakes until they are locked up. (cant spin the drum) then check your bleeding and pedal height.

You keep describing a good bleed. If there truly is NO AIR in the system, then a low pedal can be caused by just one thing - too much shoe to drum clearance.