• Hey Guest!
    British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)
Tips
Tips

Rebuiling rear wheel cylinders

Share this page

martx-5

martx-5

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
I'm in the process of rebuilding the rear wheel cylinders on my TR3. I remember from years ago when you got the kits for the master or wheel cylinders, they came with a packet of grease that you packed inside the outer boots to prevent (I guess) water and other stuff from getting inside the bores. When I disassembled the old cylinders, there was ample evidence of this grease, despite the fact that it was pretty much dried out. When I took the pistons out of the cylinders, the pistons and bores were in perfect condition, and I feel that this grease was pretty much responsible for the pristine condition after 45+ years.

Of course, the new kits did not come with any of this boot grease. Is there a substitute that I might be able to use, as I really believe this stuff helps in keeping the internals from corroding??
 
Sorry don't know what type of grease it actually is but probably any good water resistent grease would do. Moss has it for $1.95. P/N - 220-440. Anyway, I think the grease is actually there to keep the lever for the emergency handbrake lever free and lubed as well as keep H2O & crud out of the brake drum. It may also aid in assembly of and keeping the spring plate and distance pieces lubed.
 
Yeah, that's the stuff I'm looking for.

I'm not concerned about the E-brake lever, just the boots for the wheel cylinders.

Moss' description...
"This grease aids in the assembly of natural and synthetic rubber brake components. Recommended for use inside master cylinder boots, or hydraulic expander assemblies where rubber is present."

Thanks,
 
Sorry,

Your'e right In addition to learning how to type I have to learn to read all the words this morning. Same principle same stuff.
 
I'm also in the process of rebuilding the rear wheel brake cylinders ..... well actually I'm up to the point of getting the rebuild kits and crawling under the car and shouting "grown up words" at them.

Anybody have helpful hints as to how to actually remove them from the backing plate ..... sounds easy enough in the manual ..... "prise the retaining plate and spring plate apart, and tap the retaining plate .... etc."

Yea, Yea, Yea, easier said than done ..... I've just about exhausted my entire vocabulary of grownup words, and I'm running low on beer ..... I'm in desprate need of a magic trick.
 
Sorry no magic trick the plates slide into each other and are a real bear to get apart. I used the flat end of a screw driver on one plate pulled out while trying to push the other plate across. Walk away and come back 1/2 hour later. Especially, when you feel your temples sucking into your eyebrows and make sure you wear eye protection because I'm still looking for one of those plates as it shot across the garage. It really goes back together real slick though if you use all new plates. They don't sell beer in CT on Sundays so you have to drive to NY which gives you plenty of time to relax.
 
It's the first clip that's the bear to get off. After that, the others go easier...well, a little easier. I sorta got frustrated with the first clip and mangled it pretty badly, but I was desperate! The second one came off easy enough. Then you can remove the E-brake lever and remove the third one.

I looked at those mangled first clips and figured I'd have to buy some new ones. Moss does not list this as a seperate item...if you want it, you have to buy the whole kit. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif Well, I must have some Scottish in me also and decided I should be able to straighten these things out. A little hammer and anvil technique, and they were as good as new. Reassembly went together pretty much without a hitch...first clip, E-brake lever put in position, second clip, then the last one that you just straightened out! Then you can have fun with the boot. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thirsty.gif

Just look at it this way...doing the rear wheel cylinders is a right of passage! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

Edit: If you are rebuilding the cylinders themselves rather then installing new ones, check the pistons and bores very carefully. Mine were in excellent shape for a 45+ year old car. I suspect this is partly because of the grease that was put into the boots of the wheel cylinder and also because of the quality plating on the piston. The bore is in the aluminium, so that might need some attention. If there are big pits in there, you will have no other option then to replace with new cylinders. Mine were in good shape, so a little emery cleaned things up real nice. I used some fine 1" wide paper about 4-5 inches long, folded in half. I stuck it in the bore along with my index finger and rotated the wheel cylinder around my finger. Worked real nice and got rid of the last bits of schmutz and small pits.

Of course, if you can get a hold of one of those wheel cylinder hones, that would be better.
 
Back
Top