Wheel cylinder rebuild kit question

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:55 pm

I went to NAPA today, armed with the numbers from Garbee's cross reference list.

This particular NAPA has been around quite a while, and they have a huge rack of reference books.

He studied the number for the Master Cylinder and Wheel Cylinders for a minute and then asked me what vehicle it was for.

When I told him, he didn't even blink.

He ordered the MC kit, but didn't think the wheel kit was correct. The one listed is NAPA 6, which he says is for a '44 to 48' truck, not my '53.

He wants me to measure the cylinders, cause he thinks the sides are different sizes.

Is he correct or is the cross reference list correct? Me not being 100% sure made him think it is wrong.

Rich · Post by **Rich** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:07 pm

Refit 1701,
This does not answer your question, but is it really worth rebuilding the master cylinder and wheel cylinders when they are reasonably priced from Vintage Power Wagons, or MidWest Military? It does pay to shop around, sometimes it may be cheaper locally othertimes cheaper mail order. One thing for sure when you order from Vintage or Midwest you get good advice and the right part. Don't forget to replace your brake lines, and those little copper gaskets.
Rich Szklany

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:08 pm

Rich,

I understand what you are saying but I'm on a budget with this project. A new MC would be $70 and up and the rebuild kit is $10 or so. Mine is in good shape, I'm just putting a kit in it for safety's sake.

My truck was stripped for parts two owners back, and now is bare bones with a drivetrain that is in reasonable shape (transmission nothwithstanding). I just dropped a considerable sum on a wiring harness for it and have yet to buy the bakelite connectors which will probably be another $100. I've got to have all the gauges, lights, windshield inserts, etc. I have to save where I can. I'm going to Aberdeen in three weeks in hopes of finding some good used stuff for cheap I can put my truck back together with.

One of the things I like about these old trucks is being able to rehab old parts rather than chasing NOS stuff like I did for my 66 Mustang.

I'd love to buy all new stuff but that's not happening this time around.

Rest assured that there is a short list of new stuff that the guys (MWM, etc) will be sending me after I see how much cash I have after Aberdeen. A bed floor being the #1 item on that list.

Rich wrote:Refit 1701,
This does not answer your question, but is it really worth rebuilding the master cylinder and wheel cylinders when they are reasonably priced from Vintage Power Wagons, or MidWest Military? It does pay to shop around, sometimes it may be cheaper locally othertimes cheaper mail order. One thing for sure when you order from Vintage or Midwest you get good advice and the right part. Don't forget to replace your brake lines, and those little copper gaskets.
Rich Szklany

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:09 pm

Like Rich says. Also, there's a good chance that NAPA will have replacement wheel cylinders. They'll probably be factory rebuilt units, but it's esier than rebuilding your own and you'll know that the job was done right.

DJ · Post by DJ » Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:21 pm

refit, The manual says front 1 1/4", rear 1 3/8". No lecturing ,if you can make them work with a kit' "git er done" One of my trucks had wheel cylinders that were 2 different size bores, but don't remember if it was the M37 or M 715. Will check some more.

DJ

DaveO · Post by **DaveO** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:03 pm

Refit,

You mentioned bakelite connectors. I assume that you are talking about the Douglas butt connectors. If I can offer a comment here: I just re-wired my M38A1. I had a mix of bakelite and plastic. The bakelite connectors were very brittle. They chipped easily, and pretty near fell apart in my hands from age. If you are hunting the connectors at Aberdeen, I would suggest that you get the plastic ones. They'll either be white, or a very deep translucent brown (they're nearly black, but you can see the difference in strong light). The bakelite jobs are black.

Apologies for going astray on the thread...

Dave

DJ · Post by DJ » Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:37 pm

refit,

Ok,after looking closer at the manual, the front shoe is1 1/4", the rear shoe is1 3/8". My memory is not totally gone. The wheel cylinder is stepped .

Nickathome · Post by **Nickathome** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:10 am

This is just my opinion so take it however you want, but I wouldn't fart around with rebuilding these items. The time saved alone is worth more than the meager amount of cash you'll save. I wasn't about to attempt to refurbish my old rusted wheel cylinders. I simply replaced them all with brand new ones. I also replaced the master with a rebuilt core from Sid Beck. Its rebuilt but not from me so I wasted no time there either.

Time is money too! You're better off replacing them. Budget aside you are not going to save much money rebuilding. In fact you may wind up spending more because from what I hear home rebuilt wheel cylinders are prone to leakage due to pitting etc, in whcih case you'll have to replace them anyway.

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:48 am

Thanks DaveO, that's good info. I thought I had seen pics of white looking connectors somewhere.

DaveO wrote:Refit,

You mentioned bakelite connectors. I assume that you are talking about the Douglas butt connectors. If I can offer a comment here: I just re-wired my M38A1. I had a mix of bakelite and plastic. The bakelite connectors were very brittle. They chipped easily, and pretty near fell apart in my hands from age. If you are hunting the connectors at Aberdeen, I would suggest that you get the plastic ones. They'll either be white, or a very deep translucent brown (they're nearly black, but you can see the difference in strong light). The bakelite jobs are black.

Apologies for going astray on the thread...

Dave

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:50 am

Ok, thanks.

DJ wrote:refit,

Ok,after looking closer at the manual, the front shoe is1 1/4", the rear shoe is1 3/8". My memory is not totally gone. The wheel cylinder is stepped .

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:52 am

I feel that if they are not pitted too bad, I can save them. I've done this on cars and have never had a problem, *if the cylinder walls are in good shape*.

Nickathome wrote:This is just my opinion so take it however you want, but I wouldn't fart around with rebuilding these items. The time saved alone is worth more than the meager amount of cash you'll save. I wasn't about to attempt to refurbish my old rusted wheel cylinders. I simply replaced them all with brand new ones. I also replaced the master with a rebuilt core from Sid Beck. Its rebuilt but not from me so I wasted no time there either.

Time is money too! You're better off replacing them. Budget aside you are not going to save much money rebuilding. In fact you may wind up spending more because from what I hear home rebuilt wheel cylinders are prone to leakage due to pitting etc, in whcih case you'll have to replace them anyway.

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:57 am

Thanks all, for the advise and in some cases info.

Now I guess I'll jump over to another forum and maybe someone will know the answer to my original question instead of counseling me to buy a $70 MC instead of rebuilding it for $15.

:/

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 4:06 am

Rebuilding the master cylinder is an easy, straight-forward job. If the cylinder walls are in good shape (i.e. not badly pitted), you can just hone them and install the kit. It's the wheel cylinders that can be a problem. Being stepped, they're much harder to hone, which makes a leakproof rebuild much harder.

MSeriesRebuild · Post by **MSeriesRebuild** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:33 am

Time & money wasted is most likely what you will be doing if you rebuild. I'd almost bet you'de have leaks after a 10 mile trip. NAPA isn't the place to buy this stuff, yes they have it, but the cost is HIGH. The rebuild kit #'s are #1 for the M/C, #6 for the wheel cylinders if you insist however. We can get all these components new from our wholesaler, all US made way less than NAPA cost. I think I have it all in stock if we can help you.

KenInGA · Post by **KenInGA** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:12 am

Just replace the wheel cylinders and MC. It's not worth it to rebuild them. I got mine from AB Linn for a darn good price, or Mr. Talbert has them, as he mentioned.

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