Hill Holder

[Drifter22]

The shaft on my hill holder started leaking a little. I ordered a seal kit from SI, but it only had 2 seals that fit. It had 2 copper washer (seal) for the plugs. The big plug on the end had a flat O'ring. It had a copper washer with the right I.D. but the O.D. was to big to go in the recess. There was no copper washer for the bleed screw. There was no seal for the ball cage. This hill holder has 5 seals all together. The one on the cage looks OK, but it' on a 1962 Lark, been nice to have them all. The kit only covers 2.
Does anyone know if Viton O"rings are impervious to brake fluid? I've had one soaking in brake fluid for 4 days now and it still looks and feels OK.

Thanks for your help

[StudeRich]

It is recommended to NOT remove the large Plug on the end with the Copper Washer.

[Drifter22]

I wanted to clean it out and it really needed it. It had a lot of black jelly type substance in it. Several months ago I replaced all brake shoes, wheel cylinders and hoses. The master cylinder had been replaced just before I got the car. I've been reading about brakes on the internet and a number of articles say you should flush out your brake system every year using Dot-3 and every 2 years using Dot-4. I've never flushed a brake system and the reason I didn't when I replaced all those parts is I didn't know much about the hill holder and I thought I didn't want to kick a sleeping dog. But it started leaking so I had to get into it and I want to flush the whole system now. Has anyone done that before? Several people told me to use denatured alcohol.

[Warren Webb]

Flushing the brake system once a year is a bit overkill. There are "test strips" made that as they turn color you can determine if your brake fluid is ok or not. Phoenix Systems I believe is one company that makes or distributes them.

I flushed the system on my 63 Hawk using rubbing alcohol. Will do it on the 59 wagon when it's almost ready to hit the road but that will be after the disc brakes are on up front & a dual master cylinder are installed.

[55 56 PREZ 4D]

A few years ago I rebuilt the hill holder on a 56 President.
I ordered a kit from S I and was short the flat o-ring for the big plug.
Same situation as you have, the unit was filled with nasty jelly.
I checked around and was told repeatedly NOT to use VITON pieces.
At the time there was a member [I can't remember his name] who worked at a place that made o-rings.
Maybe he will respond to this thread ?
I gave him the dimensions of the ring. From what I found, there were several different sizes over the years.
He had the correct material and the correct equipment. He made and sent two pieces to me.
By the time they arrived I had reassembled the hill holder using the old o-ring so I did not use the new pieces.
It never did leak. The old ring came out complete in one piece
I had to open the unit because I doubt I would have been able to flush or clean up the gunk inside. It was nasty doing it with the unit open.
DO NOT support the hill holder by the mounting ears when disassembling or reassembling, they will break, it takes a LOT of force to open the plug.

[mapman]

Yes I have done several hill holders. The big plug is tough to get loose and tighten correctly. The caged ball can be put back in upside down and won't work. There isn't much inside that can be done so if it doesn't leak and it works I would recommend cleaning it well and reusing it. The kits I have used didn't include the internal parts anyway.

Rob

[lanthony2020]

If hill holder is present but not hooked up to clutch pedal via linkage, what position should the HH lever be to not interfere with braking, etc.?

Thanks in advance.

LN

[StudeRich]

"Release" would be the direction OPPOSITE the direction that the clutch link pushes it when down.

The linkage varies a whole lot over the years and especially with the change to suspended Pedals in '61 on Larks.

Not knowing what model and year you have, makes it hard to give you a better answer.

If you do not plan to use it, the best plan is to remove it and re-route/remove the Line.

[lanthony2020]

Thanks Rich. It is a 1949 2r5 pickup.

LN