First of all I would like to thank everyone for their input. I received a lot
of
great suggestions. Being new to this list, I was greatly impressed by the
number
of responses I received.
I wanted to share with everyone my conclusions/solutions (hopefully) to my
clutch/brake problems on my bugeye restoration project.
Bugeye (1275 with ribcase)
-Front disk brake conversion
-rear brake upgrade to later dual acting cylinders (3/4")
-original 7/8 dual master (rebuilt by me)
-new teflon/braded steel flexible brake lines
-reused original 'hard' steel brake an clutch lines (cleaned and repainted)
-new clutch slave cylinder (early type)
all components above were 'new' locheed, except the 'disk brake calipers' which
were new rebuilds from MM.
For the rear drums rubbing on the 'new-style' brake backing plates'. I finally
found a machine shop near my work, that took off 1/16" the rear lip of the
drum.
They seem to be fine now. Apparently the early 1/4 elliptical rear axle
doesn't
allow as much clearance between the back of the drum, and the 'newer style
backing plates. (the drums themselves are the same for all years)
Unfortunately, I think there were 'several' contributing factors to my
clutch/'master-cylinder' problems, so I don't really know, if the 'dot 5'
silicon fluid was a cause, or a victim. In any case, I removed the MC from the
car, and thoroughly cleaned it. It appeared that my original honing of the
cylinders was still too rough, because both the cylinder pistons were binding
in
the cylinders, and not always returning all the way. I re-honed both cylinders,
until they felt a lot smoother, and used 'Locheed red rubber lube" grease
during
reassembly on the inner components.
After reinstalling the newly rebuilt (again) MC in the car, I flushed over a
quart of LMA brake fluid through the entire system (clutch and brakes). Getting
the 'silicon dot 5' completely out of the system is really tough (it coats, and
sticks to everything, and nothing seems to cut it). In any case, I noticed
while
bleeding, that the silicon, and LMA fluids definitely stay separated. The
silicon fluid is lighter, so it floats to the top. Hopefully after driving the
car a bit, whatever residual silicon was in the system will move to the top of
the wheel cylinders, and come out with the next flushing.
In any case, after reflushing. The brakes feel 'rock solid', and the clutch
feels very precise' (more like a cable clutch), hard at first, and then it gets
easier about 1/2 down. The clutch still seems pretty strong though, and I
wouldn't want to do too much 'stop and go' driving with it. I wonder if it has
anything to do with the 'roller throw-out bearing' I have installed??
Thanks again everyone, I might just get this beast on the road yet.
- Bryan
BTW - I can actually pump the brake pedal, and work the bleed nipple on the
left
rear brake at the same time ;-)
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