Wheel cylinders for your consideration. Are these useable?

[lostboy]

You know, I keep trying to save money by taking the long road and rebuilding everything instead of buying new. Now I'm regretting it. My master had a little light pitting in the far end of the bore so I figured It would be ok. This wheel cylinder however, worries me. It's only on the gravity side in the center but still it's a pretty good crater. Would you use this? Btw car in question is a 61 sedan.


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[Nickshu]

I've never rebuilt one but one thing to be aware of is the repro cylinders from Clarks have an interference problem w/ the bleeder on the left front where it's too close to the spindle to fit a wrench on the bleeder. The angle it's drilled at is not correct. If you can get NOS or rebuild originals it's a much better choice.

[64powerglide]

Might be worth a try honing them, the worst part is in between the cups. Hone them good and see how they look then.

[flat6_musik]

If they are cratered out where the rubber cups ride, forget it. I might give it a go otherwise. You need to run a hone through them before you add the new kit stuff. I've even gone inside there with a piece of fine sandpaper to remove small areas of rust. It's a crapshoot though, whether they'll be leak-free.

Those really aren't lookin' like too hot of a starting point from here........

[lostboy]

If they are cratered out where the rubber cups ride, forget it. I might give it a go otherwise. You need to run a hone through them before you add the new kit stuff. I've even gone inside there with a piece of fine sandpaper to remove small areas of rust. It's a crapshoot though, whether they'll be leak-free.

Those really aren't lookin' like too hot of a starting point from here........

Those are honed. I took the picture right after I honed them.


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[64powerglide]

Yikes, those photo's are after honing huh. I would replace them then.

[lostboy]

Yeah, I didn't go crazy but I threw a ball hone in there and did a few back and forths. I'll probably go in again and see how good I can get them.


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[tiger13]

I personally don't use a ball hone to do wheel cylinders. I like to use the ones with the flat stones on them, I find they have a tendency to leave a much nicer finished surface when your done. Be sure to keep the hone wet with brake fluid while you are honing. And considering that "most" of the deeper pitting is centered in the middle of the cylinder where the spring would be compressed, you MAY get very lucky here. The cost of a rebuild kit is cheap enough to give it a try, but I would go back over them with a flat stoned hone if it were me.

[bbodie52]

If corrosion has eaten away that much of the wheel cylinders, you might want to consider the possibility of internal damage to the steel brake lines as well. Brake fluid is hygroscopic and over time absorbs and holds water molecules, which can result in the corrosion and pitting you have witnessed in your wheel cylinders. Internal damage and decay may have also occurred in your brake lines, which can burst without warning. The risk is somewhat worse in the 1961 models which cannot be fitted with the dual master cylinder that was incorporated into the Corvair in 1967. A burst brake line anywhere leaves you only with the cable-operated rear brakes.

As shown below, Clark's recommends flushing the brake fluid and replacing it every 2-3 years. They also have a significant warning about aging flexible brake lines, as covered at the bottom of the page shown below...

http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... N&page=144

[lostboy]

I personally don't use a ball hone to do wheel cylinders. I like to use the ones with the flat stones on them, I find they have a tendency to leave a much nicer finished surface when your done. Be sure to keep the hone wet with brake fluid while you are honing. And considering that "most" of the deeper pitting is centered in the middle of the cylinder where the spring would be compressed, you MAY get very lucky here. The cost of a rebuild kit is cheap enough to give it a try, but I would go back over them with a flat stoned hone if it were me.

Yes, I like that style better but both snap-on and matco only had the ball type in the size I needed. I have a small flat hone but t was slightly too large for this... Like you said it was about 6$ each for the kits as opposed to whatever Clark is charging for a whole w/c.


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[lostboy]

If corrosion has eaten away that much of the wheel cylinders, you might want to consider the possibility of internal damage to the steel brake lines as well. Brake fluid is hygroscopic and over time absorbs and holds water molecules, which can result in the corrosion and pitting you have witnessed in your wheel cylinders. Internal damage and decay may have also occurred in your brake lines, which can burst without warning. The risk is somewhat worse in the 1961 Models which cannot be fitted with the dual master cylinder that was incorporated into the Corvair in 1967. A burst brake line anywhere leaves you only with the cable-operated rear brakes.

Yes sir, I'm already re-plumbing the whole car. It's not worth the risk.


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[lostboy]

Well it cleaned up a bit better but I didn't take a pic... I left my phone inside. That pitting doesn't seem to reach out far enough to matter. I powdercoated the w/c body (which serves no purpose but I had the equipment out) and the backing plate. Here's a completed picture.




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[1949chevy]

The photos are very macro...so in person, I am sure they look much better than the photos. I would hone them with a stone hone one more time and use them...the corrosion looks like the center is the culprit...the center does not matter.