What would cause my brake pedal to get hard and no front brakes on my 56 Fairlane with all manual drum brakes? I tried a new master cylinder and new front shoes which were glazed. The pedal is still rock hard and no front brakes. Dave V

SE Wis

Did you try to bleed the fronts? Almost sounds like a blockage in the line somewhere.

Durham Missouri

Yes, I did bleed the front ones with a hand pump (syphon bleeder) and fluid flowed well.  DaveV

SE Wis

Sounds like you might have a blockage in the master cylinder  Carl

Just throwing this out there but are the wheel cylinders moving like they should?

Durham Missouri

Frozen cylinders was my thought also. Remove the drum and have someone push the brake pedal slowly and check for movement..

I had this problem  on  a Ford  pickup after it sat over the winter, What was  wrong  with it is it had a ring of corrosion inside the Wheel cylinders
Causing them to only travel half the distance it took to apply the brakes!  I don't know why the  peddle gets hard when this happens but my truck elt like stepping on  a rock! 

Disconnect the front brake lines and slowly depress the brake pedal a little bit to make sure the master cylinder is pumping.,  If so, then pull the wheel cylinders and remove the cups to see if the plungers are stuck.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

I also wondered about the wheel cylinders but don't understand why both would seize up at the same time.  I did order them yesterday and will be installing them tomorrow (Sunday).  Will post the results. Thanks for all the input.  Dave V

SE Wis

I know you said you put a new master cylinder on but it sounds like the small bleed hole is plugged.There is two holes in the bottom of the reservoir,a large one in the rear and a smaller one just forward ,the large one lets fluid to the piston and the smaller one lets fluid return when you let off the brakes,I had the small one plug up with crud a couple years ago and it did exactly what yours is doing   Carl