The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Need wheel cylinder help

I got a 58 or 59 halfton rearend in the 41.
Now the wheel cylinders gone bad (heavy leaking).

On ebay I found two auctions.

1. says: These cylinders fit the following applications:

1955-1964 Full size Chevy Belair, Biscayne, Caprice, Impala & Kingswood

1955-1965 Chevy Corvette (except HD suspension)

1955-1963 Chevy 10 Series truck

1950-1965 Full size Buick Centurion, Electra, Estate SW, Invicta (61-63), Lesabre, Wildcat & 40-70 Series ( 50-58)

1959-1966 Buick Riviera

1959-66 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, 88, 98, Jetstar (64-65)

2. The other one is a complete brake kit with springs, cylinders and pads.

It says: This kit will fit the following applications:

1961-1970 Chevy C-10 pick-up - except HD option
1961-1972 Chevy K-10 pick-up - except HD option
1969-1973 Chevy K-5 Blazer

Questions:

1. Will the cylinders from 1 really fit all thes modells and years?

2. If yes, the complete kit shuld also work on the earlyer rearend right? Or are the pads different?
(I already got those "self adjusters in there)

3. When my cylinders leaked all the fluid the pads got soaking wet. One mecanic told me I could wash em with break cleaner and reuse them, the other ine said I have to use new pads.

Thanks, Frank

I don't know about your application but are you sure the current cylinders are beyond help? The cylinders on my 38 were rusted together. The pistons had to be driven out after soaking in penetrating oil for a week. I made a trip to the parts house to buy a wheel cylinder hone & a quart of brake fluid to use as honing oil. Another stop on the way home was to pick up a disposable loaf pan to hold the honing oil as the honing proceded. About 30 minutes of honing per cylinder had them clean & smooth enough that they took a kit with no problems. MUCH less expensive than buying replacement cylinders AND I still have the original equipment on the bolt.

As for part 3, I had a simular situation years ago. I was short on money so I washed the shoes the best I could with solvent (brake cleaner wasn't around then) & reinstalled them. The first few applications of the brakes, the shoes involved grabbed but after a few days of careful brake applications the grabbing stopped and they worked fine from then on.

Germany doesn't have wheel cylinder hones & brake fluid??????? :confused:

Id clean them up per Tinys instructions, make sure the piston fit properly in the bore then you can just buy a kit. If not you can have the cylinders re-sleeved also. I wouldn't be suprized that all those applications take the same part, GM was good in that regard. You may want to contact Kanter Auto Products BIG brake parts outfit. www.kanter.com

Thanks for the information guys.
Of course we have hones and fluid, we even have electricity

But buying a hone would be 40 Euros plus I would need a rebuild kit (I´m verry picky on breaks since I had a spectacular accident with a 55 Volkswagen with rebuild and honed cylinders)
Buying the new cylinders or even the complete kit would be cheaper plus some peace of mind.

If I only would know wich one is sutable for my halfton rearend.

Frank

P.S. This may be also important:

The cylinders came with the rearend and don`t have any rust or pitting at all, that`s why I reused them. They worked well on a short test drive. They leaked out while the car was siting in the garage for a week.

Could it be, that the (ohmygawd how to discribe this)... the 2 little slotted rods that sit between the cylinders and the shoes are to short? I bougt them from a guy that says they are from a late 50s pickup, but who knows?

I,ve rebuilt hundreds of wheel cylinders & have never had a problem. why e-bay. You can order cylinders or kits from specialtie suppliers like American Classic or LMC. I don,t know how much 40 Euros is but you can by cyl. hones for $10.00 or less in the States. Harbor Freight is a mail order tool store.

not pushing for napa but they can get them for you at a fair price.You'll be suprised what they handle at there parts store.Just picked up valve guides an valves for a 235,56 engine