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Rear Brake Cylinder Clip

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jhorton3

jhorton3

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Very frustrating evening trying to get the rear wheel brake cylinders back on. The e-clip included with the new cylinders won't go back on the right way to allow clearance for the bleeder screw. I seemed to remember someone taking the positioning pin out and tapping that to put a screw in as an alternate way of holding the cylinder to the back plate. Anyone else done this? If so, how well has it held up?
 
I to had trouble with those clips, until I found this tool. I got it off the net from some place in Canada as I recall. Its well worth the effort to find on the web as well as well worth th money.
The tool screws into the cylinder and spreads and pushes on the "E" clip in place like Butter.
<img src="
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Sprite011.jpg
 
I have always found them difficult but not impossible to put on by hand. I have also found some cylinders with mis-drilled pin placement, preventing the cylinder to fit onto the backing plate.

I would put the tips of the c-clip on first and then use a prying device (screwdriver) to put the center of the clip over the cylinder base. The clips have a wave in them to hold tension on the cylinder. For the last bit where the c-clip must be compressed, I did with long-reach welding vise-grips.
 
Didn't some of the 1500 cars have slightly different pin locations since they had different sized slave cylinders?
 
I was finally able to force the clips on after I took a Dremel tool and rounded the squared edges a bit. When I put it on the car the outer round edge blocks the bleeder screw from going back in. Flipping it around so the open end points up doesn't work. These clips with the rebuild kit are as big as a Buick!

This was the first time I'd opened the rear brake assemblies, and I'm glad I did. The right rear was a mess! The original clip and wobble washer had come off and wound up down the brake line. With the cylinder loose it rubbed against the square tabs on the back of the axle hub tearing the rubber and wearing deep grooves in the cylidner body.

To me it looks easier to take the locating pin out of the cylinder, drill the hole and tap it for a screw or bolt. Would the one screw be enough to hold the cylidner on and allow what ever flexing needs to be done by the rest of the brake shoe assembly?
 
My take on it would be: MAYBE. With a ~star~ washer and some LocTite 271. And a circlip for some semblance of added safety.
 
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