The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Master Cylinder rebuild

Hello Stovebolts, Can anyone tell me where the best place to have a master cylinder rebuilt might be on the West Coast. The vehicle is a 1957 Dayton Brown all aluminum van. I believe the MC is from a 1947 - 1955 chevy standard issue. thx Doug

dejmeister: master cylinders are pretty simply. You can get the kits at most local parts stores. Just about any garage/shop should be able to do it but if you can take it off you have the skills to take it apart, hone it out and put in the new kit. If time is a restraint then a shop shop should do it very resonable since its a "bench job"...meaning you take off and take it to them.
There is a link here for online manuals that you could read to help you decide what you want to do.

Alvin is right. You can rebuild it yourself. Get a hone from one of the Chinese tool stores for under $10. If it has pits that won't hone out, you will need to have it sleeved or get a new one. A kit is available at any parts store or specialty store for under $20.

If you rebuild them is there a way to test them other than putting them back on the truck? I am in a frame off restoration and putting them back on is not really an option now. Thanks

Don, to check for wear "most" manuals will give you a number to use. For example. The manual will tell you to put the piston in the bore and then slide a feelers guage in the bore to see how much "play" there is. I think on most of them wear is OK up to about .005 of an inch. (Be sure to look at the correct manual)
After that there is not much left to do but put in your new kit which contains new rubber cups.

As Wrenchbender stated. Get you a cheap hone and hone it out smooth. You'd be surprised what some serious honing will do. Note, most folks agree that some small pits right in the CENTER of the cylinder is OK as the rubber cups never go in that far.
Use good common sense and judgement and you will be fine. If they are worn out you can usually find new ones cheaper than having them sleeved unless you want to pay to have them done in something like stainless.

To test it out after you rebuild it,put it in a vise(not to tight) and do a bench bleed.That's where you fill up the resevoir with brake fluid,put a short brake line onto to the "line out" and bend it back over into the reservoir then pump the rod to "bench bleed".Then you'll find out how good your rebuild is.Check for leaks off the back.When all of the bubbles are gone you have successfully bled the system.

Thank you so much. I am aware of the rebuild kits and honers etc. The issue is that I don't have the expertise to mic it correctly and make sure the kit is going to do the job w/o a sleeve or... I've bought rebuilt masters for brakes and clutches only to have the leak very soon or right away due to not having the right kit (ie oversize) in it. Here's another one though. WINDSHIELDS. Anybody know where a guy can have a windshield made??? yikes thx Doug

Just finished mine and did not need a hone as the cylinder walls cleaned up well. Just used some 80 grit sandpaper to clean it up a little. I might get a little flame out of some of the guys who swear by using a hone. But my rebuild was easy. Parts from Jim Carter's about $8.00 and pick up a manual for your truck to keep you straight about the internals if you need it. Just my experience for what is worth to ya.
Hank