Master Cylinders - Tandem Dual Piston Master Cylinder: Description

NOTE: Some models use other units. See Ford Single Piston Master Cylinder in this Section.

Ford tandem dual piston master cylinder is a single casting with front and rear piston and a separate reservoir and outlet for each piston. Rear piston is operated by a push rod connected to brake pedal. Front, or floating, piston is operated by rear piston. In a combination drum and disc system, reservoir which feeds disc brakes is larger, to correspond with large size of disc brake caliper cylinders. Master cylinder outlet which feeds drum brake has a residual valve under tube seat. Disc brake outlet has no valve, since disc brakes must not have any residual pressure.

NOTE: Master cylinder used with 4-wheel drum brakes has residual pressure valves and springs in both brake line outlets.

Failure in either front or rear system does not result in failure of entire system.