Ford Galaxie 500 Master Cylinders and Parts
Ford Galaxie 500 Master Cylinders are the hydraulic pumps in the braking system that push the fluid into the braking system when you step on the brake pedal. It is comprised of the fluid reservoir and one or two pistons that each controls the flow of the fluid into the brake lines. With a standard two-piston braking system, if one piston fails, braking action is still performed by two of the car wheels.
Are parts for one Ford 500 compatible with any Galaxie?From 1962 to 1974, Ford produced the Ford Galaxie 500 in a variety of different trims: the basic Galaxie 500, the XL, the LTD, and the 7-liter. Many of these different Ford models had different engines and used various parts. So, you will need to look for parts that are intended for the year, trim, and engine of your Ford Galaxie in order to find parts that are intended for your car.
What is bench bleeding, and why is it essential?Bench bleeding is the process of getting all of the air out of the piston chamber before installation in your car. Any air, even one bubble, can seriously interfere with braking. Bleeding before installation is easier and prevents air from moving from the piston chamber into the brake lines. While you are working, make sure you also keep dust and dirt out of the reservoir.
How do you bench bleed the piston chamber?If you have some basic familiarity with auto mechanics and youd like to tackle the job yourself, it can be done fairly quickly.
- Use a vice to hold the car parts.
- Hook the plastic clip from a bleeding kit over the wall between the two reservoirs.
- Attach a clean plastic tube from the bleeding kit to the brake line connection on each side and slide the other end in the plastic clip.
- Make sure the end of the tubing is at the bottom of the reservoir so that no air can get in the tubing.
- Fill the reservoirs with fluid.
- With a screwdriver, slowly push the plunger completely in toward the pistons and slowly release so that the fluid is pulled through the tubing. Repeat until all air bubbles have been cleared.
- Seal the tubing with caps or small clean bolts.
- Install the parts into your Ford 500.
- Now, bleed the rest of the braking system.