wheel cylinder rebuilding

[onslow]

Originally Posted by MPi-KMS-72

You really wouldn't think this would be a problem, especially in today's litigation prone society. I was always sceptical of the warnings myself. "surely this must have been solved long ago? This is probably the continuation of a 30-40 year old issue that has evolved into a wife's tale..."-

Maybe it has finally been solved but I know I've seen seals damaged and hoses swelled so much there was no room for fluid to flow through them. Maybe we just have really crappy DOT3 here in the States? Maybe some vender's here sell crappy seals that originate in India or Thailand or some other place where they are natural rubber? Maybe some people have used NOS seals that were 30 years old?

I stand corrected thanks for the detailed info

[pickuprover]

I guess they get around the litigation by saying... use the correct fluid for your system... RTFM.....

[antichrist]

Originally Posted by pickuprover

Make sure you check to make sure that the cylinders are cast iron, not aluminum if you are planning on honing them.... (a magnet will tell you which is which if there is a question..) you cannont use a brake hone on the aluminum ones... (although if they are not in too bad of shape, a scotch bright pad and some very, very fine emery cloth has been used, but only for a quick fix to get you home...).

A 65 88 will have Aluminum wheel cylinders, which in fact can be honed. I've done it many times and they all worked fine.

[pickuprover]

Originally Posted by antichrist

A 65 88 will have Aluminum wheel cylinders, which in fact can be honed. I've done it many times and they all worked fine.

It can.... but not by the average Joe, and it is not recomended by the powers that be.... glad you have not had any problems with it, but in my himble opinon, I would never hone them. However I also have removed all the aluminum ones at the last rebuild and put in cast....

[p76rangie]

I would think that if you still had the original rubber in your brake system, that it is time to replace them. If they have been replaced already, then the type of brake fluid you use should not be an issue.

[MPi-KMS-72]

Originally Posted by p76rangie

I would think that if you still had the original rubber in your brake system, that it is time to replace them. If they have been replaced already, then the type of brake fluid you use should not be an issue.

Indeed! Youwould think that that would solve it but seal degradation happens here frequently enough, with new seals or old. Go figure? I vote for crappy USA DOT3 budget type fluid as being the culprit. It would be best to stick to what is known not to destroy them just to be on the safe side, new seals & hoses or not! Especially when Castrol LMA or Silicone brake fluids aren't that expensive really. Sure you can buy a liter of the cheap stuff at Walmart for $3 but...

As to honing aluminum cylinders- 3 of my 4 were Al. I didn't have any problems but I was careful and they just needed to be freshened up a bit, it isn't like you'd want to sit and grind on them all day.

How do you like the cast steel cylinders? I'm not really sold on them since i've had issues with them and corrosion and the Aluminum ones seemed to work fine to me. If anything the Aluminum ones seemed to suffer from less internal corrosion. Around here it is usually frozen, rusted, bound up and broken fittings that end the life of a brake cylinder. I'm not sure how cast iron solves that?

here is a solution some people have tried but , again, it addresses the bores only:http://www.whitepost.com/brake.html

[pickuprover]

The cheap dot 3 fluid does not take into consideration the master cylinder as well, which is usually the worst failure, as it kills all your brakes.....

As for the cast cylinders, I am sold on them. Just make sure that when you change your oil, you give the bleed screws and the lines an 1/8th of a turn to prevent them from seizing (this should be done on the aluminum ones as well..) I have never really had any issues with the internal rusting (as the truck is driven everyday and thus the fluid reaches all parts of the cylinder on a recular basis to prevent corrosion in them.) The best part I like about them, is that if they do leak, the honing is fast and easy... (I have tried to hone the aluminum ones to no avail, usually causes too many score marks....) but you have to buy the good ones, the girling brand....

[theclay]

Sorry i didnt keep up with all of youre replies, but i was able to fix the problem. But this morning, while driving to school, I realize i have no brake pedal. After school, I check and i have no fluid in the resiviour. To fix it before...in the most recent instance before this one, I rebuilt the wheel cylinders. I had previously rebuilt the master cylinder...all while using the "correct" fluid. Now, mysteriously it seems my fluid has dissapeared. What should i check? Flex lines? 2 are newer...ie only 2 or so years old, but one is original.

[pickuprover]

If you have no fluid in the resevior, then you have a leak somewhere... start at the master cylinder and carefully inspect all the piping looking for leaks. As well look at the backing plates, if it is a wheel cylinder then the backing plate will be wet. Look for wet spots along the piping. If all is clear, then start pulling drums, peel back the rubber dust boot and check to see if one of the cylinders is leaking (or all are leaking a bit...) It is a closed system, so fairly easy to run each line and find the wet spots. Then replace as needed....