Bite the bullet
 

How often have you put off or tried to work around a task or repair on a CMP when you knew you'd eventually have to bite the bullet and just deal with it?

http://mychinaconnection.com/wp-cont...the-bullet.jpg

Source of image

Well this morning after trying to free up the reactionary linkage for several weeks I realised the only solution lay in biting the bullet and lying under the truck with dried grease and crap falling into my face undoing the 5 bolts which secure the assembly to the cross member. Of the 5 bolts, one is easy, four awkward, but the most awkward thing was to get the clevis pin connecting the brake rod with the return spring slacked off. Putting it all back will be fun!
Will post some pics of the process. Incidentally the linkage assembly can be removed without disconnecting the master cylinder if you don't want to bleed the brakes.

Job done
 

Here it is just removed. It took a lot of heat, then oil, then working it back and forth until it moved freely, about half an hour in all.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8340/8...447dfc4a_c.jpg

Here's where it came from.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8207/8...8ba567cd_c.jpg

This is where to back off the tension on the return spring (1/2"AF socket) so you can lower it enough to remove the clevis, then it drops out.

Ready to go back in
 

Cleaned (but not stripped and repainted as this is for the time being going to be a get it going, rather than a body off full job).

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8065/8...928088c9_c.jpg

Close-up of the shaft. One of the faces of the reactionary linkage is burred slightly. When putting it back you will find the two upper bolts are most awkward, with the nuts located above and either side of the master cylinder which means both the spring washer and nut must be put on with only two fingers. Disconnecting the front drive declutch arm gives you a little more room on one side.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8490/8...07bacae1_c.jpg

And back in place. One slight problem, when I went to put the booster back on, it wouldn't fit onto the reactionary linkage which had closed up slightly I think due to the length of pipe I was using to work it back and forth before deciding to remove it. I put a lever in to open it and snap! The rear of the linkage broke off without much force at all. :bang: So now I am looking for another assembly so I can go through the whole fun exercise again.

On the upside though is everything now works as it should and no bleeding of the hydraulics.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8484/8...2fca2ab5_c.jpg

Tank brackets
 

Keith,

In looking at your final photo above, those fuel tank brackets with the bend to clear the brake booster, should they all look like that? Mine are all without that recess section. Never seen those on any truck I have come across.

Brackets
 

These are gun tractor brackets. They are different because of the 21 gallon fuel tanks.