Replacing my 620 rear brakes

[natesparling]

So I bought a one owner dealer converted 4x4 620 this last weekend but it had no brakes. Runs like a champ without hesitation, but its got no brakes. Luckily for me however I was given a box of brand new parts for the front and the rear drum brakes. The fronts went on without a hitch. The rears however could go burn in hell for the rest of eternity.

 

So essentially the rear brakes are stunting me because of the parking brake. The parking brake lever cannot rotate counterclockwise enough into the space of the shoe so that the fork or the parking brake strut or whatever makes complete contact in all the slots. Right now it leaves a bit of a gap in one of the slots on the side with the parking brake lever. Because of this is spaces out the brake shoes and so when put together the shoes do not make full contact with the slots in the piston and the adjuster on the top and bottom of the assembly because they simply cannot come close enough because of the parking brake assembly. I disconnected the parking brake line so I know that the parking brake isn't engaged. What am I doing wrong? I have the adjuster all the way in by the way, at its lowest point. I have the other side of the car for reference as that brake was already installed and it sits totally fine, that being said the adjuster is out quite a ways.

 

My last little issue is there is absolutely no pressure in the brake pedal. There is fluid in both reservoirs on the master cylinder but there is like dirt at the bottom of the reservoirs, like 1-3mm of just black goop at the bottom so I am thinking just air in the lines or something? Not sure, going to take off the reservoirs and clean them out and hope for the best.

 

Any help is so greatly appreciated this is already driving me absolutely nuts. 

[Scgreen620]

You need to clean the lines not just the reservoirs ... If the reservoirs are like that so are the lines

[Scgreen620]

Just replace the master cylinder

[datzenmike]

Black goop in the reservoirs is probably the rubber powder from seals in the master. Replace or get a rebuild kit.

 

The parking brake lever is pulled counter clockwise to spread the brake shoes and apply the brakes. You need to turn it clockwise to release it.

 

Have you loosened the parking brake adjustment to get slack in the two cables?????

[natesparling]

Looks like a refurbished master cylinder is $30 at oreillys with a core. I'll just do that. How should I clean the lines out? Also would this explain why there is no pressure in the pedal?

[d.p]

Compressed air through the lines?  Air in the lines/MC would explain no pressure on the pedal.  

[datzenmike]

For $30 take it apart and inspect it for shavings rs seals torn or folded. Hate to say it but this is your brake system, the most important safety feature on your vehicle. You get what you pay for.