Brake question

[tbags32]

Hello,

My 69 GT's brakes are acting strange. When I press down on the peddle it is very hard, then it release and depresses. The peddle stays down and I have to put my foot under it and pull it up to release the brakes. I sprayed WD40 under the peddle on the inside of the car and under the hood. Does anyone have any idea where my problem is and how I can attack this one?

Thanks
Tom

[gr_diver]

There is a spring where the pedal has it's pivot (firewall, inside the cabin). Maybe the spring broke and now it does not pull the pedal back...

See the pic, the spring is indicated by a red arrow...

[yellaopelgt]

Do the brakes drag when you are moving? Need more info......... could be several things. There is a return spring located at the pedal that might have come loose. Or..... could be one of the brake hoses starting to fail causing a "check valve" type of reaction in the system. Could even be a few more things as well, really need a better description of whats all going on.
Joe

[tbags32]

Thanks for the replies. The brakes do drag until I manually lift the peddle. I was unaware of the spring and will have to check it. Also which hose are you talking about and how can I check it?

Tom

[yellaopelgt]

I'd be willing to bet its just the spring. But there are 3 brake hoses, 2 in front from the metal line to the calipers, and one directly centered under the car in the back near the axle. The common problem is that the inside of the hose deriorates and only allows fluid to travel in one direction. Start with the spring and see where that goes. If that doenst work then I'd just replace the hoses, you have to disconnect them anyway and you'll have to bleed the system so you might as well replace them with new ones. They might be 30 sumthing years old!!!!!

HTH
Joe

[gr_diver]

tbags32: have you had any progress with your brake problem?

[tbags32]

Thanks for the replies. Yes I checked under the dash and I don't have a spring on my peddle. Does anyone know what type of spring I should use, and where to purchase one??? Thanks for all the help it is deeply appreciated!!!!!

Tom

[BQS4]

A good hardware store would have them, or go online to something like McMaster Carr

[tbags32]

Does the automatic brake peddle have the same spring on it?

Tom

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by tbags32 Does the automatic brake peddle have the same spring on it? Tom

If you have one, or access to one, try it

[R's opel gt]

Check for vacuum leak at intake or brake booster check valve, check vacuum valve at brake booster. If all is OK remove valve at brake booster and spray WD40 in the hole. If the brake pedal releases it will be only temporary. If seems to work sooner or later you may need to replace the booster.


Ray

[gr_diver]

Originally Posted by R's opel gt Check for vacuum leak at intake or brake booster check valve, check vacuum valve at brake booster. If all is OK remove valve at brake booster and spray WD40 in the hole. If the brake pedal releases it will be only temporary. If seems to work sooner or later you may need to replace the booster. Ray

While this will be a good way to find if there is any binding inside the booster, I would be hesitant in using specifically WD40 (or any other penetrating oil). While it's composition is a secret, it might contain some petroleum products. Spraying such substances in the booster might rapidly deteriorate the diaphragm. Something like silicone lubricant spray will be more safe to use...

As Gene mentioned, there are generic springs available at most hardware stores. Pull the brake pedal all the way up, and measure the distance between the spring's mounting points. Then choose a spring with coils' length shorter than this dimension, to make sure that it will not fully retract before the pedal is pulled all the way (the spring should be under slight tension with the pedal at "rest" position). If I were you, I would buy 2 pieces of 2 different "suitable" lengths. That way, you can decide which one works best, and if you mess one up, you will have a spare in hand. That will save you another visit to the hardware store.

[yellaopelgt]

Napa carries a universal spring that you can cut down to any size you need. They are only a few bucks and have more than enough strength to do the job!!
HTH
Joe

[tbags32]

I finally had a chance to check out the spring. There wasn't any spring. I went to the hardward store and bought a universal spring, cut it and it works perfectly. My problem is gone!!! Thanks for all the help.

Tom

[gr_diver]

Happy driving!