Leaky wheel cylinder

whb52ford

whb52ford

Senior Member
Tomorrow I’m going to replace the drivers side front wheel cylinder for the 4th time in two years. These are purchased rebuilt wheel cylinders. I get about 6 months. What could be causing this? The other wheel cylinders are fine. Stumped
 
I had some rebuilt by the company that puts in brass sleeves and they leaked— sent a master cylinder back 3 times.
the 4 th time I took it apart myself and it was full of brass shavings and some got under the rubber cup.
After that I would take apart most all wheel cylinders to inspect and started finding chinese ones with the bleeder holes drill 1/2 the way down
 
Thank you. Before I put in it tomorrow I will take it apart and clean it. I have been using DOT 5 for many years.
 
I just purchase new ones. I have gotten 5 or so years out of them and sometimes longer. I really think it depends how often you drive the car. I believe if you are using the brakes on a regular basis you'll get a longer life as opposed to a car that sits and gets infrequent use.


For this reason. I like mechanical brakes.
 
I drive the car several times a week. These are purchased rebuilt cylinders.

The link above did not work, or I didn’t know how to do it
 
Seth Swoboda said:
I just purchase new ones. I have gotten 5 or so years out of them and sometimes longer. I really think it depends how often you drive the car. I believe if you are using the brakes on a regular basis you'll get a longer life as opposed to a car that sits and gets infrequent use.


For this reason. I like mechanical brakes.
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5 years life for wheel cylinders? Something has to be wring. I rebuilt the cylinders on my '51 in 1988 when I restored it and haven't had a problem.
 
I was a fleet mechanic for 30-years. Rather than replace the cylinders we just lightly honed them and put new rubber cups in them as long as they didn't have rust pits in them where the cups rode, it's okay if they are pitted in the very center just not where cups and pistons travel. Back then we were able to get quality new EIS wheel cylinders and all the other parts from EIS all the different sized cylinders, usually it just took the new cups. I've literally done hundreds of them over the years. We used to have an EIS box with all the different size cups from small too big. I suspect the bores on the new cylinders are not manufactured accurate anymore and the quality of the rubber cups is not as good. I have piles and piles of old Early Ford ones, if I need some, I will rebuild those originals rather than waste my time with the new ones.
 
For many years I would hone and replace the rubber cups. They wanted as much for the cups as a rebuilt cylinder so I went that route. I no longer have the original. I don’t know if you can even buy the cups anymore. I have no problems with the other 3. Why just this one? 4 in 2 years.
 
I did a full brake job including all new cylinders and DOT 5 fluid in 2013 on my 53 sedan. I have had no problems with any of the cylinders, and I have driven the car over 33,000 miles since 2013. I think the same wheel cylinder design was used for years by Ford and you can still get new cylinders quite affordably. I would try a new cylinder and see if you get better results.
For reference there are three options for a new drivers side front wheel cylinder currently listed on RockAuto (click each price for the link to the associated cylinder): $6.24, $8.14, and $10.54.


When the front left cylinder fails is there anything obvious? Rust pitting from water damage, hard rubber cups from getting hot, anything? I too am curious why just the one cylinder is giving you grief.
 
NAPA has almost all parts for early Ford brakes from individual cups and springs to new wheel cyl. I have had good luck with them even though chinese.

John
 
whb52ford said:
These are purchased rebuilt cylinders.
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What are these "purchased rebuilt cylinders"?


New cylinders are less than $10 now-a-days and while Chinese; I've never had a problem with them on my cars or any complaints on the rebuilt brake assemblies (over 230 pair) I have have sold over the years.
 
38 coupe said:
I did a full brake job including all new cylinders and DOT 5 fluid in 2013 on my 53 sedan. I have had no problems with any of the cylinders, and I have driven the car over 33,000 miles since 2013. I think the same wheel cylinder design was used for years by Ford and you can still get new cylinders quite affordably. I would try a new cylinder and see if you get better results.
For reference there are three options for a new drivers side front wheel cylinder currently listed on RockAuto (click each price for the link to the associated cylinder): $6.24, $8.14, and $10.54.

Looked at the three options and have to wonder what one is getting: 1.125 inch bore versus 1.25 stock, non-stepped bore versus stock stepped bores, and 3/8 inch fittings versus 7/16 inch stock, and bubble flare versus stock???
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ursus said:
Looked at the three options and have to wonder what one is getting: 1.125 inch bore versus 1.25 stock, non-stepped bore versus stock stepped bores, and 3/8 inch fittings versus 7/16 inch stock, and bubble flare versus stock???
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Ford wheel cylinder design changed in 1949. The 1949 and later Fords used Bendix type hydraulic brakes instead of the Lockheed type hydraulic brakes. The Bendix type use straight bore wheel cylinders, not the stepped bore cylinders used by the Lockheed type. A copper washer is used to seal between the brake hose and the wheel cylinder.
Attached is a screen shot of the parts catalog showing a cylinder and the connection.
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  • 49-59 Ford Car Parts Catalog wheel cylinder screen shot.png
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Thanks to 38 Coupe for clarifying the basis behind the different braking systems. So, for stock 39-41 brakes, it appears that I will have to stick with the stepped Lockheed parts, unless there is a way to retrofit the 39-41 backing plates to accept the Bendix system.
 
ursus said:
unless there is a way to retrofit the 39-41 backing plates to accept the Bendix system.
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Brian Bass converted Lockheed plates to Bendix style, both front & rear; not sure where his program stands currently.

Speedway Motors does their own version, all new stuff. Fronts only. Unknown how they work.

It isn't really all that complicated to rework Lockheed plates to Bendix. I built up several sets when I was doing brakes.
 

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rich b said:
Brian Bass converted Lockheed plates to Bendix style, both front & rear; not sure where his program stands currently.

Speedway Motors does their own version, all new stuff. Fronts only. Unknown how they work.

It isn't really all that complicated to rework Lockheed plates to Bendix. I built up several sets when I was doing brakes.
Click to expand...
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589303
 
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