Stupid question of the day....bleeding brakes

[k1rodeoboater]

So I FINALLY have all my hard lines run, brake hoses hooked up, M/C bench bled, booster connected to a vac source, and felt like I was good to go to bleed the system and give her a try....WRONG!!!

I got the fronts to bleed perfectly fine, but my rear drums aren't bleeding. The bleeder screws move but it just doesn't seem like there is any fluid going back there. I checked for leaks and didn't see any in the rear lines. The pedal has virtually no resistance to it and goes to the floor very easily. Any thoughts? Prior to this my drum brakes were working perfectly fine without any issues and my pedal was nice and firm.

[k1rodeoboater]

...I might have just found an answer by using google....one that I didn't even think about too.

...how do I clamp down the pin on the front of my prop valve? That will divert fluid to the rear correct? Or would it be just as easy to put a vice grip on each hose for the fronts.

[dznucks]

Dont put a vise grip on the front hoses.

Did you replace the rear brake line. the rubber one, going from the frame to the rear axle. It can collapse internally and look just fine on the outside.

[bowtiedriver2]

Ironic. I am having the same issue and just started looking when I saw this thread. I even cracked the rear line at the master cylinder and am not getting fluid. I had fluid before replacing the lines... it is a master cylinder that is less than a year old and less than 1000 miles.

Why can't I get the fluid flowing to the rear?????!!!!!!!?????

[k1rodeoboater]

I got to do a bit of work on the truck today and found out why the pedal was going straight to the floor...the linkage broke. So I was basically gravity bleeding the system from the get go LOL.

I also was able to get the drivers rear drum to bleed...but not the passenger rear. Any ideas why this might be the case? A bad wheel cylinder? I took the bleeder screw out and nothing came out of it....

[litew8]

Well, if you take the line itself off and there's fluid/pressure - then probably you are right.

[lolife99]

Did you replace the rear wheel cylinders?
Most of the time there is a "plug" of rust inside the bleeder screw hole.
Replace them.
They are cheap at the parts store.
Also replace the rear rubber brake line.
Cheap insurance.