freegdr

Low booster vacuum will cause hard brake pedal.Pedal height is regulated by rear adjustment .If your able to stop vechicle ,but a panic stop make you butt pucker the brakes are working properly for the very underpowered bracking system of early xjs. Better braking is obtained by upgradeing.

McCaffrey

It was just a joke. I hear what you're saying about practice. I've been working on cars/motorcycles for at least 30 years and from inheriting tools from father and grandfather I probably have a dozen of those spoons. However I still like my method better and can do it with mind power alone. I just sit in my chair with a beer and watch it happen.

DFlintstone

Cool! . Gotchya'. I generally need more powerful stuff myself.

Really though, rocking back and forth with the e-brake on, might make that lever work on that wheel as the shoes work back an forth relative to the backing plate.

Or maybe just with the pedal. I don't have that "nailed down" but at least once i swear doing one of those brought my petal up some. Mine have ridges that prevent a good solid petal, just working them on.

DFlintstone

The booster is gonna get regular manifold vacuum. Around 18in at sea-level on a new engine maybe. Anything in the ballpark, even 11 and it should work. I highly doubt that is your issue.

Can you re-state for us, no petal? It just goes to the floor? Fluid is full and not going down. But you can bleed it with two guys to where you just have fluid, and no air? And, that bleeder on the caliper is above the piston. Actually geting under there and turning that wheel to where the shoes make contact, is something I would do.

That's a bout all I have....

freegdr

Actually the tab from beer can works rather well.

freegdr

Ridges on brake drums you say ?

DFlintstone

Sometimes a small "lip", between the edge of the drum and where the shoes ride. Since I did the TCU bypass switch, to keep it in second going down my hill, brake wear went way down. ( Cruiser) (again Cruiser). He just put me onto the link, but I'd never have thought to look for it. Here' s another rambling, messed up thread, but the other link and info is indeed here. :

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/dec...ammage-105739/

freegdr

Grind the edge off brake shoes don't ride there any way.

DFlintstone

Might work, not "going there" myself. ..I might someday! (I've saved years of worn out brake stuff here on this hill). "bad" might be better than what I have someday.

freegdr

I keep replaced brake stuff like serp belts .

DFlintstone

HA! I dropped a washer in a t-stat change. I REALLY LOOKED for it. Upon starting, my belt exploded and wrapped everywhere. I'm stranded here, needed a buddy to bring me one from town. No extra belt here.

The reason for this post, there is a "maw" that can catch a rock, (or washer) that can ruin your belt, PRONTO. Don't drop anything down near/under the inner t-stat bolt.

freegdr

Once when removeing shim behind Ac clutch dropped a nut hit fins on alternator fan went inside alternator . Removed belt and started spinning thing alt was stuck well 1.5 hours later the 20 min job was completed.

DFlintstone

10-4 on that. The big stuff is easy, tis the little eh? Swapped a six in my 66 F-250 in bout 1/2 a day, then spent about as long getting the sol wire on the starter right!

Lowrange2

Wait, is this an engine compression test? I'm confused...

Coach

I will mention that the bleeder valves on the front caliper need to be on top, I bought new calipers, parts guy told me which was right and left, installed them, no brakes went to floor. I could pump them up and they would hold but as soon as I released them had to start over. Installed new master cylinder, same thing, then someone here told me to verify the bleeder valves were on top (which they weren't), swapped them around, rebled and now work great! On the engine compression deal, my rig has 325k miles, will barely climb hills in 5th but the brakes still work great. (I've never checked my compression but I'm positive it's low, looking for a new engine) Good luck!