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can't complete my brake job!

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markclark1556

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The wheel cylinder housing is stamped Girling 304180 and it contains(in descending order)1)a flat bottomed piston that is covered by a rubber dust cover,2)a rubber seal that is flat on the side facing the bottom of the piston and concave on its' bottom side,3)a metal seal support with a convex top that compliments the rubber seal's concave bottom 4)a metal spring. The set up is almost like the picture on page M.1 in the "green shop manual" BUT Here's the rub - the manual is showing a front drum brake but my wheel cylinder is from a rear wheel of my '63 BJ7. The Moss Cat. (Fall-Win., 2011)pg.82 wheel cylinder repair kit (part 583-020)only works if your wheel cylinder piston has a nipple like protrusion on it's bottom. My piston has a flat bottom! I cant use the front drum brake wheel cylinder repair kit sold by Moss because my bore is 3/4" and they have 1" and 7/8". I might try the BN1 repair kit (pg.82, #513-015), it shows a rubber seal w/a concave bottom and a seal support with a convex top- I just dont know the bore size. Anybody out there ever had to deal w/this? If so, how did you get the right parts to rebuild the wheel cylinder and complete the brake job?
 
My advice, Don't bother rebuilding those old brake cylinders, Just get new ones as they are not that expensive, I stopped rebuilding those things a long time ago! Just not worth it!
 
drambuie said:
My advice, Don't bother rebuilding those old brake cylinders, Just get new ones as they are not that expensive, I stopped rebuilding those things a long time ago! Just not worth it!
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:iagree:

----Keoke----------------------------- :laugh:
 
I agree with new cylinders. It's a good idea, however, to take them apart and clean and lube them before you install them. A lot of the new ones come with machining debris.

Marv J
 
Since it sounds like you have a mis-matched combination of parts, that would be the best thing to do: Replace with the correct parts and forget about the old stuff.

And the rear wheel cylinders on a 3000 should be 3/4" (100-Six used 1" cylinders.)

C Ya,
Mark
 
I am such a cheap perfectionist so today I put them back together after a lot of cleaning and tomorrow I will start the front disk brakes. I may have to buy the new wheel cylinders next week if it doesn't want to stop. Thanks for the advice.
 
also, wondering what is the trick to adjusting the parking brake. I cant shorten the brake cable and that seems to be what I need to do. Any suggestions?
 
Have you adjusted the "square" screw on each rear backplate? That's usually all that's required on the cars I've worked on.

Of ALL the assemblies on a car, brakes are the last thing you should go cheap on.
 
Well, I located the end of the handbrake cable (it has a threaded steel 2 inch long end) where it attaches to the lever that both parking brake cross rods are attached to BUT there seems to be no way to slack. Can you tell me how this juncture is adjusted? Thanks
 
markclark1556 said:
Well, I located the end of the handbrake cable (it has a threaded steel 2 inch long end)
Click to expand...

Sometimes called a turnbuckle--they're usually threaded on both ends--but I think the Brits call this a 'trunnion.' The 'turnbuckle/trunnion' is attached to the crossrod pivot with a clevis pin, which should be secured with a flatwasher and a cotter. Remove the cotter and the clevis pin. Then, turn the turnbuckle one way to slacken the cable, and the other to tighten (there may be a locknut on the end of the turnbuckle, can't remember for sure but if there is you'll need to loosen it). Replace the flatwasher and install a new cotter.

Adjust your drum shoes first, then take up excess slack in the cable with the turnbuckle. It's tempting to pull the cable tight--make sure the brake lever is all the way down--but leave enough slack so the brakes don't drag. The emergency brake shouldn't start to engage until 3-4 clicks on the lever; you need some slack to keep the e-brake from dragging.
 
Marv J,

Above you said to take new cylinders apart to clean and lube them. I'm at this point in my BJ7 restoration (installing the new brake components) and was wondering what you, and others, would use to lubricate the cylinders/calipers? It will likely be several months or more before I actually charge the complete system with brake fluid and I don't want to risk the components drying out.

Thanks,
JPF
 
Girling (Lockheed?) markets a red rubber grease; it's the only lubricant that should come in contact with parts wetted brake fluid.
 
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