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1st post. Brake help needed!!

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J

jgcable

Freshman Member
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Hello everybody. This is my first post. I have a 1959 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite. It is powered by a 2.3L Chevy engine and a Chevy 4 spd. It is very close to completion and I am having a problem with my brakes.
I only use one side of the master cylinder because of the Chevy transmission. All wheel cylinders, brake lines and brake hardware are new. What I am experiencing is a hard brake pedal and my rear brakes lock up. The front brakes work perfectly. The rear wheel cylinders open up exactly like they should when the brake pedal is pressed. The problem is that they do not release after they open up! The only way to get the rear wheel cylinders to release it to open up a rear bleeder. I rebuilt the master cylinder although I don't even know if it needed rebuilding. It holds pressure fine with no leak down. Any thoughts?? Also, since I only use one side of the master cylinder would it be possible to replace it with a later model? A new one is quite expensive. Thanks and I look forward to contributing to this board. John G
 
If only the rear brakes lock up, suspect the rear rubber brake hose.
Or did you mix up the little valve from the brake side of the master with the clutch side? Only the brake bore has that valve.
You might also be able to adjust out the lock up.
You may have mixed up the brake/clutch push rods.
Loosen the lock nut on the master push rod and shorten it a bit by turning the rod while holding back on the lock nut.
If the rod is a bit long, it prevents the fluid from returning thru the relief hole in the master.

And yes a later Spridget master will work but you will need the pedal box which is wider and shorter than the Bugeye pedal box. Some cutting is required and the wiper moter has to be moved a bit.
 
There are 2 types of lock nuts on my assembly. One is a threaded double nutted bolt that acts as a stop for the piston assembly. It is bolted directly to the front side of the pedal box. The master push rod also has a double nut. One is 1/2" and the other is 3/8". Obviously I hold the 1/2" nut in place and turn the 3/8" nut that is affixed o the pushrod. Do I turn it clockwise or CCW? Thanks for you help!!!
 
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