The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun 1948 1 Ton Dually Wheel Cylinders Restore or Replace?

Hi All,

I need some really good advice since this is my first truck project. Please look at the photos and give me your honest opinion as to whether or not these front wheel cylinders can or should be restored? The LH cylinder has a wedged piston. If these can be restored what is the best way to go about it? My aircraft mechanic buddies at work were appalled to see these and recommended replacing. I guess you'd never see parts like this on a Gulfstream or Falcon jet. lol

LH Front Wheel Cylinder

RH Front Wheel Cylinder

RH Front Wheel Cylinder

Front Wheel Cylinder Mounting

If I am to replace these, from spending some quality time with my master parts catalog, I find that the 1 ton front wheel cylinder assemblies are the exact same as the 3/4 ton rear wheel assemblies. I see these are available at many parts suppliers. Any thoughts on the highest quality supplier? I see these in the LMC catalog for $115 each.

For the rear, I find that the wheel cylinder body, pistons, rubber cups and spring are also the same as the 3/4 ton rear. However, the end caps that work with the pinion adjusting mechanism appear to be unique to the 1 ton. One option, if 1 ton rear cylinders are not readily available, would be to buy the 3/4 ton rear assemblies and restore the 1 ton endcaps as best as I can.

Thanks for help with this!
jose

First off they "look" like they need replaced and it's always nice to put on new ones. We're talking about STOPPING here!!

But before you make that decision I'd suggest getting them apart. If the inside wall is pitted then new ones are in order. However, I'd hone them out with a cylinder hone and take a good luck first. Most cylinders can be honed. I think .005 is the limit. Its certainly worth a try. The outside should clean up nicely with a little work.

Then of coarse there are places that you can send them off to and get them re-sleeved with stainless or brass sleeves. Not sure about the cost. Check out the links section and see if there is a listing there for re-sleeving. It may be more economical than new? And by all means check other vendors. Its been my experience that LMC is a little pricey on a lot of things compared to other vendors on the same identical product.

Again, NEW is always better but there are alternatives. Good luck. Maybe another bolter can add more to this.

from the photos it just cosmetics. you can get two of your re sleeved for the cost of one from lmc. when they are done they will look like lmc's but with a SS liner (at least from the shop i use) plus you already know they fit.

Mine looked like that before I tore them apart and cleaned them up. I soaked them in penetrating oil for a couple days, made it pretty easy to take apart. I did not have any pitting, and a cylinder hone cleaned up the I.D. to look like new.

Bought 4 rebuild kits from NAPA and had everything I needed; Spring, Piston, Seals.

Been going 9 months now and have not had any problems.

Well guys,

I bought some fluid in a bottle called Evaporust at O'Reilly Auto Parts and put my wheel cylinders in a small loaf baking pan and filled it up with this stuff. I checked on them today and the Evaporust had turned completely black. When I pulled the cylinders out, they were looking like new! I jiggled several things around and the adjusting screws broke free and I was able to take 3 out of 4 of them out. One of the endcaps broke free as well. Now the Evaporust is able to completely fill the area between the remaining frozen endcaps and the pistons. I'm leaving them to soak until all the parts come free. I cannot believe how well the Evaporust works! I'm glad I pushed forward with restoring these instead of buying new.

Thanks!
jose

I was going to mention Evaporust. It is great stuff and won't harm the aluminum pistons. When it get really black the fluid is done. If you have to use some force on the pistons, apply the force on the outer edge, maybe with a socket.

Hi All,

Here are some photos of the progress on the front wheel cylinders. After the first evapo-rust bath, the end caps came free and the adjusting bolts are now out. I have put them in the second round evapo-rust bath and this morning I placed a wooden dowel on the pistons and tapped them with moderate force. Three of the four pistons moved in about an 1/8 of an inch. My question is, should I pound these straight through the cylinder and out the other side? Is there a better way of removing the pistons other than hooking up hydraulic pressure?

Front Wheel Cylinders after first Evapo-Rust bath

Front Wheel Cylinders in second Evapo-Rust bath

Attempting to Extract piston from Front Wheel Cylinder using wooden dowel

Thanks!
jose

Put the air line to it but sure and not be standing where the cups will pop and hit you in the head!! Then drive the second one out the end of which it goes in on.

I don't like driving them all the way through because the pits and rust usually show up in the middle of the cylinder where the rubber cups never slide. If you drive one of them all the way through it may pick up some rust from the center of the bore and cut a nice groove in the cylinder wall as it goes through.
Others may have a better way??

If at all possible, get new cylinders, they are cheap, way less than your labor cost, much less, if they need to be removed in case any leak.