brake master cylinder rebuild kit

Bukowski · 01-07-2014, 10:48 AM

it appears that Pelican does not (and has not) had brake master cylinder rebuild kits (because they are close to the price for a new MC).

is this still the case?

if true, then can I ask where a rebuild kit might be available? e.g. I found a Paragon kit for the Ate MC, but I have Girling.

djnolan · djnolan's Garage

I once tried to rebuild a master cylinder and the bore was irregular due to corrosion. Since it is a single point of failure and all brakes could fail at once, you need to make sure the bore is in excellent condition, and the rebuild is done correctly.

John_AZ · 01-07-2014, 02:51 PM

Rebuilding brake MC may not be possible if the bore is pitted. Let the rebuilders do it.

I do not see a MC rebuild kit on Pelican.

I installed rebuilt brake MC from A1-Cardone on my Cherokee and in May '13 a Girling on the '88 924S last year.

Be careful removing the reservoir, the tips will break off and get 2 new MC grommets.

Check a few vendor prices---example ********.com, NAPA or Auto Parts Warehouse

I prefer to keep the Girling MC but there are also new "Universal" steel MC available for about $120 that fit either the ATE or Girling MC.

J_AZ

flash968 · 01-07-2014, 05:45 PM

having spent 25 years dealing with british hydraulics, it never fails to boggle my mind when i hear the ludicrous idea of rebuilding cylinders being bandied about. buy a bloody new one. they are not that expensive. i spill more wine than that every month. the time and frustration of having to do it a second time is not worth it.

Bukowski · 01-09-2014, 10:04 AM

I suppose it is hopeless to expect a used brake master cylinder to sell or even be given away then.

djnolan · djnolan's Garage

If it is low mileage and the bore is good, and all you are doing is refreshing the 25 year old rubber seals, then go for it if you can get the kit.

flash968 · 01-09-2014, 11:59 AM

if if if - still a crap shoot.

buy a new one and be done with it the first time. the cost is in the time, not the part. i don't know about anybody else, but my time is $300/hr minimum. spending any time either not making money or having fun (wrenching is not fun) is foolish. having to wrench on my own car is bad enough, and i only do it because i can't find anybody who does as good of a job, but doing something twice, or even risking it, is just plain dumb in my book.

the real issue is that if you do one hydraulic part, you have to do the rest of them in the same system. contamination spreads to all of the rubber components, and anything in one is in the other. once you change one, it then causes the system to find the next weakest link. you stand a 50% chance of blowing one of the others within a year.

do it once. do it right. don't go back.

MB968 · 02:27 PM

I'd rebuild it in a minute if a good rebuild kit is available, and the old cylinder is suitable for rebuild. Of course you will not know this until you take it apart and hone it. So, if time is an issue, don't do a DIY. If you have the time, the talent, and the interest, rebuilding is usually not that difficult.

Though I've rebuilt my share of hydraulic units over the years. My curiosity for rebuilding things year ago was a stronger drive than today. So, I typically don't do it anymore. But that's more of a personal preference, preferring to spend time on other interests.

flash968 · 01-09-2014, 03:14 PM

the math doesn't work.

new part cost $80.

time to do the job 2.5 hrs. do it twice???

cost of cabernet to get over having to do it again............

this is a no brainer. buy a new part.

MB968 · 01-09-2014, 06:46 PM

Not everyone uses time or $'s to decide actions. There are other things in life

Bukowski · 01-09-2014, 09:36 PM

Quote:

new part cost $80.

We are talking brake master cylinder, roughly 200-300 bucks.

flash968 · 01-10-2014, 07:38 AM

that's still less than a sushi dinner.

time and money are the only factors in such a decision. anybody who says otherwise is lying, and either just doesn't want to spend the money, or can't. nobody loves or enjoys dealing with brake fluid, or having to do a job twice.

the older i get, the more i realize that time is the one thing you can't get more of. spend it wisely. i don't waste it doing something twice if i can think ahead enough to avoid it. more money i can get. more time i can't.

MB968 · 01-10-2014, 03:45 PM

Interesting opinion. But, sorry, not lying. I'm the best expert as to what are my drivers.

flash968 · 01-10-2014, 05:40 PM

well, i sure can't imagine what twisted driver that would make somebody want to waste their time doing something a second time, or deal with brake fluid more than they absolutely have to. that's a whole different oprah, and one i can't afford the couch time for.

if it were an expensive part, i'd understand it. something that is only a couple hundred bucks? no chance. if that is a lot of money to somebody, they have the wrong car. this is an old car. it's going to need a LOT of repair and maintenance. it's a porsche, so things are going to be expensive. that's just the facts of life with this. it's black and white. it's not open for discussion or argument. that's the whole reason this site and this company exist. they know it. everybody knows it, whether they want to realize and admit it or not.

at the minimal cost of the replacement part, and knowing that it will work the first time, rebuilding a hydraulic cylinder is just a really bad idea.

Jrboulder · 01-10-2014, 06:23 PM

Maybe some people enjoy fixing things not just throwing money at it.

944tothefloor · 01-10-2014, 06:42 PM

jrboulder, it's not just a maybe. working on my 944 is as good as driving my turbo or better. i get so much satisfaction doing my OWN work and making sure it's done just right. as for doing a job twice, it just gives you a chance to do a much better job the second time. it's incredibly worthwhile. in fact, it's so worthwhile that it is the best hobby i have.

I just can't say enough about how much i like doing my own work, and that includes rebuilding some parts. i like to put a power steering pump on a table inside my house, on newspapers, and most carefully do everything to my best ability. it's so goddamn satisfying. give me a wrench and i'll give you a high five!

Jrboulder · 01-10-2014, 06:54 PM

Quote:

I just can't say enough about how much i like doing my own work, and that includes rebuilding some parts. i like to put a power steering pump on a table inside my house, on newspapers, and most carefully do everything to my best ability. it's so goddamn satisfying. give me a wrench and i'll give you a high five!

Well said!

flash968 · 01-11-2014, 06:17 AM

i enjoy doing some stuff too, though it's more the development and upgrade than the repair.

what i don't enjoy is doing the same job twice. i also don't enjoy working with brake fluid any more than i have to. rebuilding a hydraulic component, when a new one is this inexpensive, is just plain dumb. it's like not looking to see if there is toilet paper before you sit down, or locking the keys in your car. i've never done either one, and never will. i have made the mistake of rebuilding cylinders, as have many other i know. it does not always go well. i see no reason to waste time on something with that much risk of failure, when doing it right is so easy.

the longer i watch the front engine group, the more i see the rubber band and bubble gum repair mentality creep in. those are the same people that complain about maintaining their cars, and why they can't sell them for much later.

all i am saying is to use good parts. it makes things a lot more pleasurable, and lets you spend more time DRIVING the car, instead of fixing it. if you want a car that you fix all the time, buy a fiat.

9FF · 01-11-2014, 06:41 AM

Coming in late but I must admit to like repairing things, even cheap stuff. I done everything from replacing the bearings and brushes in a fan motor to fixing the contacts in a window switch.

Thing is with these rebuild kits for hydraulic systems like ps or brakes, they only work if the metal parts of the system are still in spec. That means any pitting or wear on the bore of the brake master or the shaft of the ps rack and you are really wasting your time.

I think most people think they can just replace the rubber seals and o-rings with new ones in the kit and everything will be fine.

I tend to buy new hydraulic parts however I do keep the old parts and when I have time I check the specs and rebuild them if possible. Some I keep as spares and others I sell to recover some of the cost of the new part. It's justification for keeping the wife happy when I'm rebuilding parts on the kitchen table

Bukowski · 01-11-2014, 09:41 AM

I appreciate all debate, thanks. All views are worth serious consideration on this specific topic - consider how rebuilding brake calipers does not precipitate half the debate seen here.

FWIW: In practical terms, at this time, I can't see myself rebuilding a very old cylinder. I do however see myself keeping it around in case something changes.