Just did a complete brake job on my 65 Cutlass including new wheel cylinders and rebuilt master cylinder. I am experiencing a hard pedal that hardly stops the vehicle. Is there Anything that I have over looked?

 

We could use a little more information. Does the car have power brakes? If so, a hard pedal could indicate a problem with the vacuum booster. Did the brakes bleed properly at all four wheels? An obstruction in one of the lines could cause a hard pedal. This was exactly the problem I had when I redid the brakes on my '78 Toronado. I could get no braking action at the rear wheels after replacing most everything. The problem turned out to be a clogged rear brake hose, which was something I did not replace as part of the brake job. Did that, and the brakes started working fine.

 

Thanks for the reply. No power brakes. All the hoses and brake lines are new. I’ll start all over and bleed the system again.

 

The shoes need to break in also.

 

I suspect this might be your problem. Did you make sure the piston bore diameter was the same as what you took off? Maybe the parts house sold you a power brake master instead of a non-power one.

 

I had the exact same thing happen to me. First off the brakes on my 65 cutlass were the most ridiculous brakes I’ve ever seen
the rear brakes were worn into the drum 1/8 inch virtually no shoes left. The front brakes were completely wrong. Someone put rear shoes on the front! Would not stop very well at all. Replaced every brake part except the steel line that runs to the rear it was in good shape. Test drove and it still was had to stop. At that time I didn’t realize that they must have sent the wrong master cylinder. I bought a new master cylinder and booster from parts place, installed, re bled the system and now I have brakes that stop normally. This can be frustrating especially when you know you did everything
Hope you get it right.
Greg

 

Wheel cylinders are the same. I’m thinking it might be the M/C. I’ll take it off and examine it and bench bleed. When I say hard pedal it hardly stops even when putting full force on the pedal.

 

My car would barely stop using both feet with all new everything until I installed a new master along with power booster.
This forum here told me the master cylinder bore is smaller on cars without power brakes.
Even though I specifically ordered for non power brakes on 2 master cylinders before they must have sent the wrong one.
All is good on my car now. At least for brakes lol.