On Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:57:23 -0500, Karl Townsend
wrote:
On Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:03:32 -0500, Ignoramus18836
wrote:
On 2011-11-02, Winston wrote:
Ignoramus18836 wrote:
I brought in an outdoor forklift on pneumatic tires. It is not the one
that I bought for $500, but another one.
This outdoor one, runs good, but has nonworking brakes. Quick
investigation shows that brake system is full of air, and that brake
fluid is leaking from the right brake drum (I can see it leaking).
This is a Cat V50B LPG powered forklift.
Am I correct in assuming that a repair is simple, though not
necessarily easy, and likely amounts to replacing or fixing the brake
cylinder os some such?
It should be fairly simple, frozen bolts and inaccessible bolts
notwithstanding. Winnie's right, avoid the dust. Wet down some
newspapers after placing them on the ground below the brake job,
remove the drum, and drop it flat on the paper to shake off dust. Use
a stiff brush (cut-down 2" nylon paint brush works well) to work more
off and then take the drum outside (downwind) and blow the remainder
off. Then have it turned and wash it down with brake kleen before
installation. I usually marked the customer's name and wheel position
on the car into the drum before sending them out, and marked the lug
and drum to put it on the same way if the wheels were spin balanced on
the vehicle. It reduced error.
Likely needs a flush and fill of the entire system
and rebuilt wheel cylinders all around
OK.
The next problem is taking the wheels off, they are held by nuts that
are 1 3/8" or so wide.
The person suggesting the 3/4" drive socket set was right. HF has some
cheap sets in both 3/4" and 1".
http://goo.gl/vqIuG You might want
both regular and deep (impact!) sockets, a breaker bar (for places you
can't get your impact into), and a 3/4" impact gun. Maybe you can
find another cheap impact gun like the one you sold for a gazillion
percent profit that last time.
Check the brake fluid. Is it clean and clear or does it have a
green tinge?
Clean and clear.
The green is likely algae and needs to be flushed out.
I found algae in the clutch cylinder on my truck. I flushed the heck
out of the system then replaced both the master and clutch
cylinders. The parts were inexpensive. Now the master cylinder is
nice and clear. The clutch works much more linearly and easily.
Algae grows in water. Water is the bane to brake systems. Replacement
of the cylinders was the way to go.
Recommend purchase a power bleeder.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MVP-0108
It will save you a *lot* of time and aggravation.
I spent my life doing it the old way and the
power bleeder makes the job almost a pleasure.
--Winston
What fluid should I use? DOT brake fluid?
i
2nd on the power bleeder, and any DOT fluid.
Howard had the correct answer: Find out from CAT, then use the
suggested fluid. Power bleeders (pressure from the master or vacuum
from the wheel) are good. They allow you to do the job yourself,
without help.
I did my truck a couple years ago, It was a stone bitch to get the
drums off, they had rusted in place. Crowbar and BFH time. After
that, it was a standard brake job. They are built just like every
other drum brake. I turned the drums on my lathe, bought the shoes
from hyster, the cylinder rebuild kits from NAPA. Had to build a
custom thingy to adjust the brake shoes, there's no room for a
screwdriver.
Karl, they sell brake spoons, y'know.
http://goo.gl/0Gb4l
Did yours look like that when you were done? g
I cut mine in half when I needed a shorter one for an import truck
with top adjuster once, and it turned out to be very handy for
everything at that length. I most often used the angled side rather
than the curved one.
--
Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.
-- Jimi Hendrix