front wheel cylinders

[62 bigwindow]

Replaced front wheel cylinders due to my 65 sitting for approx. 3-4 years
Bought new wheel cylinders from Oreillys and they seem to fit ok but after getting everything reassembled noticed that the bleeder screw is so close to the spindle on the back not sure I can get it loose to bleed the brakes..
You guys ever had this problem? or advice on how to bleed the front brakes?? thanks

[jayoldschool]

Never dealt with this, but I would just remove the wheel cylinder with the hose still on, bleed, then bolt it back in.

[62 bigwindow]

not sure that will work...having to remove the springs and shoes to remove it
Anyone else that will work or am I over thinking it?

[jayoldschool]

Once removed, just put a hose clamp (or something) around the piston extension parts to stop the cylinders from popping out. There's always a way...

[Sharps40]

Yes...on the bleeder screw using the Oreillies front wheel cylinder. There are several manufactures of these wheel cylinders. I now have two that fit the front backing plates and leave just enough room to get a 6 point 10mm socket on them to open and close for bleeding. (A 6 point 3/8s won't slip over the almost metric size bleeder screw and the 10mm is a whisker loose on the screw but works)

Box end wrench? forget about it, not enough room. Though, a 3/8 open end wrench will sometimes just fit, barely allowing me to squeak the screw open and closed for bleeding with a hose in a jar of fluid (one man bleeding) and follow up by snugging down with the 10mm socket.

One option is to swap out bleeder screws. Find some with the same size thread and base but with a smaller hex end, this could allow using a box end bleeder wrench if you get a pair cylinders that are a bit close.

Both times I've replaced front wheel cylinders with the Orellies parts, the PS front was the one to give the most clearance trouble....this time on the 3rd cylinder I got one that has enough clearance for a socket...the first two wouldn't even clear a thinwall socket!

I was tempted to grind clearance in the spindle vertical shaft! But, avoided doing that for now with parts swapping.

[Sharps40]

Originally Posted by jayoldschool

Once removed, just put a hose clamp (or something) around the piston extension parts to stop the cylinders from popping out. There's always a way...

Damn good idea!

[tincan1966]

Just clean out and transfer your old bleeder screws to the new cylinders if they are the extended type.