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Caution! Poor Quality Rear Wheel Cylinders

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angelfj1

angelfj1

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This was to be brake job weekend for the TR250, but I just hit a snag while replacing the left rear wheel cylinder. This is a brand new part purchased from one of the big three.

Here's the problem - I should have checked in advance before I secured the new wheel cylinder to the back-plate but I didn't. When trying to attach the brake line fitting I encountered more then usual resistance. I have learned the hard way not to force things, especially when screwing steel into aluminum. So, I stopped and removed the wheel cylinder to have a better look. The threads appeared OK, but I put the wheel cylinder in the vise and used and old but clean fitting to chase the threads. Boy, something is wrong here, there is way too much resistance. After very carefully using the old fitting as a tap, I removed it and looked into the bore. Oh boy, I see aluminum shavings! It appears that the tapping operation was a bit shallow (in my opinion) and if you're not careful, you can end up with small metal shavings in the passages of the cylinder - possibly bloking the flow and resulting in no brakes or maybe a stuck cylinder. I intend to notify the vendor on Monday, but I think I'm OK to proceed. I believe the important thing is that the threads are not intended to seal. They provide mechanical leverage to push the brake line flare against the seat in the cylinder body. Once I got everything cleaned up the line snugged up real good.

Look out for this possible problem and be careful.
 
I encountered a similar problem with the radiator drain tap for my TR3. I ordered one from Moss, but it was back ordered. I waited several weeks, but it got to the point that I was ready to fire up the car and needed one. I called them, and they told me that the ones that they had just received had threads that were not up to spec and didn't know when correct ones would come in. I went to one of the other Big Three, got the part, and wouldn't you know it, the thing didn't thread in properly. I got out my thread files and worked on it for a few minutes and in it went. I've gotten used to this over the years of this resto, and just take it in stride. I don't know what else to do. I applaud Moss for not sending out an item that was not right, but I'm sure it took someone like you to bring it to their attention.
 
I take this subject pretty seriously. And give suppliers a chance to respond. After that if the matter is not resolved I have no patience.
Here in Wisconsin we have a State Consumer Protection Office. In view of some of the cheap, faulty, and sometimes dangerous replacement parts that are out there I have and will continue to report things like this to that agency.
I look at it this way, when I spend my money I fully expect to get the promised parts in safe and usable condition. After all besides my self, my wife, kids, and grandkids ride in this car.
 
FWIW, just received this morning 2 replacement brake parts from TRF. They noted poorly made parts and sent replacements by mail. I think that was pretty heads-up!
 
I ran into this problem on my TR10 last summer. I had purchased "County" brand wheel cylinders manufactured in India from one of our supporting vendors. I ended up rethreading the ports.
 
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