The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Rebuild or buy new wheel cylinders?

Can we rebuild our wheel cylinders successfully and get some more miles out of them? Or just buy new? I'm working on a 1949 Chevy 3600. The 3/4 ton breaks are quite a bit more money than the 1/2 ton.

Haven't cracked into them yet but when my truck was delivered I found more than one empty brake fluid bottle behind the seat.

Please advise.

Don

Don, while I've successfully rebuilt countless wheel cylinders (bought 2 and 3 stone hones 40 years ago) and master cylinders, I chose to go new on my 51. Not that expensive r and haven't had any second guesses.

To answer you question, I don't see any reason you can'd hone and rebuild assuming there are no pits that won't hone/sand out.

Good Luck, Ron

I'm all for taking one apart and seeing if it will clean up.
Check Rock Auto and see if they have them.....the locals may have new ones but they will get them through "rare parts" which is a little costly. Napa would be a good place to price them. New vs Kit may not be much difference.

Its all about economics and the condition of what you have. If you have pits where the cups ride, you will need new ones.
Yours are pricey, so it is worth opening them up to have a look see.

I just bought a Lisle brand cylinder hone. It's easy to use and was only $12 on eBay. Alvin encouraged me to rebuild mine years ago but I didn't know how then.
I recently bought 2 rear brake cylinders for my 1963 because they were only $10 each which was nearly the same cost as the rebuild kit.
Then I priced the front wheel cylinders and they were around $30 each. It really all depends on how much time you have.
Tomorrow, I'll use the hone to clean up and rebuild my 1963 brake MC.

For my 55.1 3600, I had one leaking cylinder. Since I'm planning a complete replacement at some point, I decided to rebuild the cylinder. I had a devil of a time getting a kit.

"What year is it? Half ton or 3/4? What engine? We don't show anything for that year in our computer."

I finally found a guy at Napa, who was willing to look up ODs & bores to find a kit that worked. So, if you choose to kit it, just order it online. It's faster than sitting at the counter.

The 3/4 ton parts are twice the price of the 1/2 ton. $119 for master and wheel are $70.

How much for a hone?

Buy a good hone(lisle) or equivalent. Get a container of assembly fluid,,
and have the enjoyment and satisfaction of saying "I did it myself" !
The more you do, the more youll start to understand your truck, and be less afraid to take on your own projects.
And the best part... keep your money in YOUR pocket.
good luck,

I may add a comment that in my almost 70 years I've only had two, maybe three wheel cylinders that couldn't be rebuilt. It takes a while, depending on your cutting stones, but I found I can clean up what appears to be a deep pit and still be right in the middle of the tolerance which is usually .005 and have never had problems with a rebuilt. As my daughter, a math teacher says, "do the math".

You an do it.

Do yourself a favor and spend a little time setting the cylinders up in a drill press vise, with the hone in the chuck. I have honed scarce, expensive wheel cylinders to the point I had to make new pistons to keep the tolerances right between the piston and the cylinder bore. The rubber cups will expand to seal a cylinder that's WAY oversize, as long as the piston is a close fit to the bore.

A ring of rust pits in line with the hole where the brake fluid enters the cylinder doesn't need to be completely honed away- - - -the cups don't ride on that part of the cylinder. Just get the area where the rubber cups ride completely smooth.
Jerry

Again thanks for all the responce. I pull the first wheel and everything underneath is almost new. Bearings had new grease, shoes where good and the cylinders are also new. I inspected the lines and they are fine too. Lucky me. The master cylinder is a different story. Too far gone to fix.
Now if I can just find someone to help me bleed these lines.

I bought new for my 58 half ton from Auto zone for around $9.00 for the rear and I think the front were $12.00 out of the box ready to go. They were on the shelf no special order.

Don't trash the old master cylinder. It can be bored out and relined with a stainless steel sleeve that will last about three days past forever.
Jerry

Where would one find that kind of service.

Here's a few that come to mind...

White Post Restorations
Apple Hydraulics
Mark Frappier (The Machinist), Mark recently sleeved my MC and liked his work and price.

Mike B

Don, run by your favorite Parts Store and ask the manager (not one of the snot nosed kids) where to get it done. He/she just might have the perfect place. If that fails, reach out to your local cars clubs for recommendations. Good luck.

Thanks for the responce

Good idea. Been going to Napa. This day and age it's our best shot.

Don Huffer Speed Bleeders are the easiest way I have found to bleed the brakes. Here is a link to a disscussion on them awhile back.

I wanted my date coded original so I sent mine to White Post, it was back in a little over a week. It is beautiful, they do really good work. I won't have to worry about it in my lifetime. They also did an original Corvette and Camaro m/c for me.

Speed Bleeders were the answer for me! Here is a link to a brake bleeding discusion on my '48 LoadMaster 4400.

Speed bleeders will not always work if threads are corroded.

Ed