The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Wheel Cylinders

Wondering if anyone has rebuilt wheel cylinders versus having them shipped out and done, or even buying new. Any horror stories or glory stories please let me know. Thanks.

I've rebuilt a few. No horror stories. Hone them good using brake fluid as honing oil. Clean them good using clean brake fluid. Put the new kit in them & put them on. No issues on my part.

i have done 20 some on the 60's trucks. i think you will find them pretty easy to do. my shop manual says to use alcohol for cleaning so i do that to make sure i get all the grit out. i have done some that were frozen up too and they turned out well. i would try to stay in specs as far as in the bore size. it is prob ok if its .001 or so out but not too far. you'll love the price about $2 for a kit!!!

This is a 1950, 3600 so it's a little older than your 3800 Slim, but it might give you an idea of what your in for with a medium sized truck with full floating hubs.
I submerge the cylinders during honing in the gunk tank, which I have filled with kerosene. It keeps the stones clean during the process. I also thoroughly clean them by washing, wire brushing them on the bench grinder and chasing all the threads with a tap before I do the honing. The rear cylinders were to bad to simply hone so I sleeved them rather than try to find new ones since these were Huck style brakes. http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2049866640098611668KLMSPc
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

A good parts store can still get them if not in stock. It'll save you money on them and no shipping.
I think on most of the MAX tolerance for wear is about .005 but don't take my word for it. Be sure to check. Unless they are pitted real bad they will usually clean up good. Most kits for pickups run 10-12 bucks.

I just went ahead and ordered replacement from Jim Carters, did the fronts a couple of years ago and the rears are on the way. I feel much better knowing they are corect to start off with. I feel I could do this but don't want to find out I made a mistake when I am driving down the road.

Ed

hi, if i may jump in here, i'm considering rebuilding mine as well, but have never actually honed anything. is there a tech article on here somewhere about that?

thanks

i feel pretty lucky to drive 60's trucks my kits only cost $1.99. haha i like to mount the cyl housing in vise and use a drill motor turning at a pretty slow speed. that way you can keep straight in bore. i also like to use plenty of fluid and finish off with some emory cloth. i don't remember what the max piston to bore clearence was but i have rebuilt a couple that was .001 over and they have stood up great over time. i was just saying i wouldn't toss it if it was .001 out after you are done, but to each his own. it's certinly quicker just to replace them, but i'm a penny pincher. even on brakes!! hr

boynamedsue-- you can buy a pretty good hone at most parts stores. To make the stones last longer I think someone here said to keep the cylinders wet with brake fluid while honing them out. (Replacement stones are cheap) Unless they are "pitted" real bad you should be able to save some money. Some folks sleeve them but if you do it will cost as much as the new ones.....and if you ever have any sleeved be sure to use Stainless steel sleeves!
I'd at least try honing them first. They are simply and straight forward. A good honing job makes them as good as any new one. YOu will also find other uses for your honing tool.

An old mechanic told me when I was a young fellow to use brake fluid for honing and cleaning of brake cylinders because brake fluid doesn't react well with other fluids. If you use brake fluid for lubrication and cleaning you won't have contamination issues. That advise has served me well for many years.

I rebuilt hundreds of wheel cylinders while doing brake jobs in the early 70's in a tire store in Texas.
You won't have problems if you don't try to save a cylinder that is too pitted, worn or scarred.

Brake hones aren't that expensive and can usually be picked up at most parts houses Or Sears.

Most look like this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002SQUG8
You can usually find the Lisle or KD tools at the parts stores.
I don't care for the ball style hones as I feel that they don't do anything to true up the cylinder.

I'd suggest taking the cylinder apart and cleaning it up to start. Brake clean or soap and water to clean it and then unscrew the bleeder screw and check the mounting bolt holes.
As I worked on them in the pre product liability lawsuit days most of the cylinders I replaced usually had a broken bleeder screw due to it being rusted in place.
I prefer to use brake fluid to lube the hone and brake cleaner or soap and water to clean it after honing. I don't like to put them in the solvent tank because solvent tanks usually have too many things in them that might contaminate the cylinder.
Clean it up good, lube it with brake fluid or the lube supplied with the kits (make sure the cups in the kits are the correct size and reassemble it.
Most shops won't rebuild wheel cylinders now because of product liability issues and labor costs but it is easy enough to do the right way at home.

I took the leap and worked on the front two cylinders last nite. The first went well then the second not good. The bleed crew was rusted in place and snapped when wrenching. I can see now how the inside might be a little rough. But since I have one I can reuse the parts are now familiar. Time to order the rebuild kit, get the proper hone and it will go fine. Thanks for the guidance.
Slim.

I just bought the rebuild kits for the front of my 58 1 ton tonight.They were $5.99 each with a lifetime warranty at O Reillys.Rebuilding them is very simple,ive done several in the past as well as master cylinders.As long as you make sure your in tolerance and get your bores honed and cleaned up correctly it will be better than any piece thats mass produced by god knows who.