Moparts

hard brakes on a 1969 Charger

Posted By: mopar_leaner

hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 02:09 AM

I have a 1969 Dodge charger big block car with power drum brakes. The engine is a non matching 440 with a little more than a mild cam, Torker II intake, 750 Holley, and headers. My problem is when I push on the brakes, the peddle doesn't move much and the car does stop, but then the brakes kind of stick towards the floor. My brakes lights are always staying on. I have to put my foot behind the brake peddle and pull it back........any ideas?????????????


thanks in advance!!!

Posted By: Dabee

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 02:18 AM

The bower brake booster is probably bad.
Posted By: mopar_leaner

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 02:31 AM

that is what I'm hoping but dont want to just throw money at it and not have that be it as they are not cheap.
Posted By: Dabee

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 02:43 AM

I had the same problem on my 69 Super Bee a few years back. It was the booster.
Posted By: GO_Fish

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 02:45 AM

I had a '71 Duster, manual disc brake car, no booster. Brake pedal stayed low and brake lights stayed on. Master cylinder was bad.
Posted By: Dabee

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 02:49 AM

Check with NAPA the usually have rebuilds available.
Posted By: bigD

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 02:54 AM

It could be air in the system,bad master cyl.,bad booster, drum brakes out of adjustment or not enough vacuum because of the cam (at low speeds/idle) ,,D.
Posted By: stumpy

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 02:54 AM

Check the ammount of vacuum you have at the booster.
Posted By: mopar_leaner

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 03:00 AM

I will check the vacuum now, not to sure how though.
Posted By: stumpy

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 03:05 AM

Use a vacuum gauge or a mity vac.
Posted By: bigD

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 03:06 AM

Go down to the local autoparts place and p/u a vacuum gauge,then find some place to tap into on the carb(not the distributor port on the side of the carb),preferably on the base plate or vacuum Tee the go's to the brake booster,D.
Posted By: mopar_leaner

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 03:08 AM

Hey thanks a bunch, do you think low vacuum would keep the brake peddle from returning to its starting point? and How much vacuum should I have at the brake booster?
Posted By: SomeCarGuy

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 03:16 AM

You could get a drum master and the mounting plate and do away with the booster, as an option.
Posted By: mopar_leaner

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 03:38 AM

maybe, but I looking to do kind of what the factory gave me to work with minus the built 440. thanks
Posted By: dave571

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 04:20 AM

It could be a bad booster, but I've noticed that the boosters on drum cars can be quite weak before they cause problems.

I did have a booster go bad on my 68 newport driver 2 years ago, but it only caused hihg pedal effort. The brakes did still work fine, and I didn't have to pull up on the pedal.

Maybe look at the fluid condition. Dark fluid is an indicator of the master going bad.
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 04:45 AM

You might split the M/C/booster & (eng idling) hit the brake & if still acting up that eliminates the M/C as the problem but see what the pushrod clearance is while you are in there & might see if the check valve is available seperately if it itself turns out to be the culprit.
Posted By: mopar_leaner

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 05:38 AM

I bought a vacuum gauge tonight and checked vacuum where it hooks into the brake booster, and it showed 13 inches at an idle.
Posted By: wkroncke17

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 01:18 PM

I sent my p/brake booster for my '69 Coronet R/T to Booster Dewey.
He rebuilds and restores them....Great guy to deal with, and he does excellent work!
Good luck!!

http://boosterdeweyexchange.com/

Attached picture 5645389-rsz_booster2.jpg
Posted By: Crizila

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 02:02 PM

Quote:

I have a 1969 Dodge charger big block car with power drum brakes. The engine is a non matching 440 with a little more than a mild cam, Torker II intake, 750 Holley, and headers. My problem is when I push on the brakes, the peddle doesn't move much and the car does stop, but then the brakes kind of stick towards the floor. My brakes lights are always staying on. I have to put my foot behind the brake peddle and pull it back........any ideas?????????????

All good ideas here, but you might want to start with the pedddle linkage to make sure it is free. Even with a bad booster or MC, it should return to the stop position.


thanks in advance!!!



Posted By: therocks

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 03:24 PM

Air in the system will give you a mushy pedal.Low vacuum or bad booster gives you a hard pedal.Rocky
Posted By: bigD

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 04:01 PM

Quote:

I bought a vacuum gauge tonight and checked vacuum where it hooks into the brake booster, and it showed 13 inches at an idle.



That should be enough vacuum,start checking the other things mentioned and you should be able to track down the problem,D.
Posted By: therocks

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 04:12 PM

Did you check the valve at the booster.Start the car let it run.Shut it off then pull the valve out.It should make a woosh sound.Rocky
Posted By: SomeCarGuy

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/04/09 06:34 PM

With the engine off, there is a number of pumps you should be able to get before you run out of assist. FSM has that number. Quick and easy to check.
Posted By: mopar_leaner

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/10/09 06:51 PM

Here is an update, I have now replaced the power booster, master cylinder, lubed everything under the dash, changed all fluid in the lines, and bleed the brakes. I now have travel in the peddle, but with the new booster, it worse, it pulls the peddle to the floor when I push the brakes.
Is there a spring anyway in the system to put the peddle back to normal position?
I running out of ideas on this car!!!!


Posted By: SomeCarGuy

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/10/09 07:17 PM

Manual master is looking pretty good at this point, LOL.

I don't know what is the deal on this for you. Sounds like an air in the line problem.
Posted By: groundpoint6

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/10/09 07:37 PM

13 inches of vaccuum is not enough, minimum should be 17 inches. The best way to check a booster is with the engine off pump the pedal a few times then holding the brake pedal down start the engine, the brake pedal should go down slightly. There are no springs to either pull the pedal up or down. My advise is first go to basics. Make sure the system is fully bleed and the linnings are adjusted with a slight amount of drag. Next you have to do better than 13 inches of vaccuum. A mild cam with correct ignition timing should give you at least 17 inches, anything less than 17 inches would make the booster ineffective. Also very important is the adjustment of the pushrod between the booster and master cylinder. When adjusted correctly the pushrod should not put any pressure on the master and should not have any gap to the master either. It should have a zero lash.
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/10/09 08:55 PM

Quote:

SOunds like an air in the line problem.

Take off the M/C lines and bench bleed the M/C again then cap the 2 M/C ports w 2 brass inverted flare plug fittings from your parts house (a buck or 2). Start it up & see whatcha got. If the M/C is good (& bled out) & the booster functioning, the pedal w be rock hard w virtually no travel. As said check the pushrod clearance also (which can be hard to judge due to the depth of the piston recess so measure (the depth) carefully).
Posted By: Lefty

Re: hard brakes on a 1969 Charger - 12/11/09 12:57 AM

Quote:

it pulls the peddle to the floor when I push the brakes



You still have air in the lines.
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