IML: Kenyon's brakes (or not)

[Kate Triplett <kate_triplett@xxxxxxxxx>]

Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 08:20:06 -0700 (PDT)
From: Kenyon Wills <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: IML: 1973 Brakes are "wrong"
Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I replaced the entire brake system on the 1973.

Here's what I did"

Booster:  3 years ago - few miles since.

Brakes worked well and were aggressive when you
stomped on them.
 <SNIP>

The car now resists stopping.  It stops, but requires
almost double the pedal pressure and won't lock the
wheels unless both feet are on the pedal and really
jamming on it, and even then it's not that good a
response.

All 4 corners bleed OK, and none seem to be
restricted,
 as I'd suspect that a crimped line would
cause.

Also:  when the brake is applied, the pedal feels
better in the top 40% of the swing until it seems to
"hit" something and gets stiffer - the braking action
seems to have two stages.  I paid someone (I can't
believe that I did that) to bleed and check. <SNIP>

Before I go hunting for a defective/incorrect part in
the system, which I did with the NOS, $300
proportioning valve, and start tracing every metal
line in the car's chassis, is there anything else that
I could be missing?  

I feel silly for asking, because every stinking part
is new besides the brake pedal, but maybe someone has
something in their past that might help?
<SNIP>
Thoughts?

I'm sorta thinking booster, but that's a guess and I'm
reluctant to blame it because it's relatively new and
has good lines to it.

Kenyon Wills
*****************************

Man, that
 sure sounds like a similar situation I had with (OK, not an  Imperial, but is IS Mopar)
a 5-ton Dodge truck. 12,650 pounds of non-stopping iron.

 Ended up finding out, after MUCH misery and added time and expense,
that the master cylinder was wrong part. The pump stroke was WAY too short, didn't
provide enough volume of fluid to the system (which had the HydroVac vacuum-over-hydraulic 
power assist) to engage those humongous dual wheel cylinders. The pedal feel was much as
 you describe - first stage is normal travel on the pump stroke, second (MASHER) stage is
when the return spring in the master cylinder starts to "stack".

With all those brand new parts, and your expertise in assembly, a wrong part configuration is
 about all I can think of it being?

Best of luck,
Kate
(and Lucille 1968 Crown)
  

Kate Justet Triplett
Homesick Angels LLC
www.IrishHuntersandJumpers.com
Sultan, WA USA