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SO, the brake was froze in place. We removed it, took it apart, brake fluid was power (like sand), some slight corrosion on the wall of the power brake canister which I buffed out for the most part. The rebuild kit is $149 or a whole new working unit is $375, all from Kanter, which shows to have the master cylinder bolted on the back with the unit.

Questions:
1.Is is better to try and rebuild or just get a new one
2. The new one says Bendix and mine has a word that starts with T on the side of it.. does that matter?
3. Anyone got experience with rebuild issues or new ones?

Thanks

Unless you are really familiar with the unit and its needs, I'd be reluctant to recommend you rebuild it yourself. Buy the Kanter rebuilt or have yours rebuilt by Ed Strain, Ross Miller, or someone of that caliber. They were all made by Bendix and the unit trade name was "TreadleVac", perhaps that's the word you see starting with a "T". What is of some importance is the stamping on the end of the hydraulic unit, "P-#" which differentiates the different units built for Packard between 1952 and 1956.

Before making any final decision you might want to search this PackardInfo website. Search on "BTV" or " Bendix Treadlevac" etc.

Also be aware that the rest of the brake system (lines and wheel cylinders etc) must be near perfect condition. Otherwise any dirt in the system can cause problems with the BTV that other brake systems are not as sensitive to.

Take the BTV and throw it in the trash. That thing is a fatal accident waiting to happen as I have posted many times on PackardInfo. Anyone who doesn't believe that has never experienced total brake failure in traffic as that will make a god-fearing guy out of you.

As PackardV8 (Keith) said, do a search on this website. There are many alternatives (Keith and I each have a different one), each of which probably will save your car or your life someday.

Craig

The condition you are describing is from brake fluid that has been sitting many years, exposed to air and moisture and has crystallized.
This will occur in conventional master cylinders, power brake units and even power window/top hydraulic systems and yes even on dual master cylinders. It is not unique to Bendix type.

Fluid should be flushed and changed every 3 years according to some current car manufacturers. If your engine oil had not been changed in 10 or 20 years of driving the engine would probably fail too.

Any unit if not properly maintained or rebuilt will be prone to failure. Choose a rebuilder that other hobbyists have had success with

Thank
James
Kanter Auto

Just adding a bit to what James has said, certainly a tandem master cylinder can provide a margin of safety over a single - no one can argue that point. But the Bendix TreadleVac was the standard of the industry on almost all American makes of cars for nearly a decade, even used on Mercedes-Benz in the early 60s. Properly rebuilt from a good core, checking your brake fluid level regularly, and keeping the fluid clean and it should be serviceable for decades. By far the vast majority of folks with Packards and other cars using the Bendix unit still use them, failures are uncommon; improper rebuilding, faulty rebuild parts, or failure to pay proper periodic attention to the brake system the likely culprits.

If you're nervous about it, then upgrade.

Quote from post #5 above:
" Fluid should be flushed and changed every 3
years according to some current car
manufacturers."

I would like to know what car company or make model and year recommends such a maintenance sched and where to find the documentation.

You've asked that question at least twice or more in the past.

BMW recommends it, or used to, I also believe R-R does. Also my local Lincoln dealer does, though not a factory recommendation. But there is a huge difference between an everyday car that's constantly on the road piling up mileage versus one that sits idle for long periods of time and doesn't accumulate that much mileage. Brake fluid is dirt cheap and the labor doesn't amount to much - small costs to bear for the peace of mind.

Blake,

Jake and Owen has stated the facts as they are. Fluid flushes and regular maintenance is the key to a great functioning Treadle.

I would Highly recommend Contacting Ross and ONLY Ross on the rebuild of a Treadle. His work, function and reputation is impeccable IMO. When I cant get mine to adjust just right after I rebuild, I send them off to Ross for his finesse. You will get it back in a week and be problem free.

When I bought my 53 Sportster last year it had no brakes, and after some quick research I came across Craig's Panther site about replacing the booster. Biggest issue is maintaining your volumetric ratio or else the drums do not work, which is why he had to change the stock pedal setup to a 4:1 rehttp://www.1956packardpanther.com/Panther/powerbrakes.html (Yes this is my second forum post but I lurk a lot) After reviewing a cross section of the BTV I came to agree with Craig (he may come across as Evangelical or scathing, but the design does have its shortcomings), being dual master's weren't required until 1967 and I drive the car maybe 500 miles a year I stuck with a single. I found that a 7" double diaphragm booster from Summit ($94) and a single channel master from RockAuto for a VW beetle ($20) work great. You need to make an adapter plate to mate the two. Original lines just need a slight tweek to line up, along with M10 bubble to 3/8 24 SAE inverted flare adapters. The VW cylinder accepts the 1/8 NPT pressure switch for the brakes and at 17mm (.67") is close enough to the BTV's 0.625" working diameter to use the original pedal. From the inside it looks completely original. The only other thing I had to modify is the passthru for the throttle. I moved it about a quarter inch to the right as to not interfere with the booster.

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