Thread: Resleeving brake slave cylinder

Originally Posted by morrisman

Hi


90 to 10 is tough engine bearings AKA red brass

MIKE

Red brass is the one I would use. I think hard (red) brass is pretty stable stuff. The only issue is the electrolysis aspect, which is a big no no if aluminium comes into contact with it. But with cast iron it would be quite OK.

Electrolysis can be quite severe and will eat away aluminium in a very short time.

As I said, you could re-sleeve the cylinder with the same metal as the original master/slave cylinder and it would last just as long as the original unit.

Doesn't have to be stainless steel at all.

I would however use a small roll pin on it to prevent movement.

The job the OP did looks pretty good to me. Brass will expand more than cast iron, so when things get hot it will lock in tighter, so that's a good thing.

Rob

thanks mike and rob. something id forgoten
aaron

If it was my job I would have made the sleeve insert out of mild steel. The original component would have been ferrous in nature. To go to brass or stainless is way over engineering and excessive costly.
If you get the right interference fit and finish, there is no need to pin or use lock type compounds. I have done quite a few of these types of jobs in previous years with no trouble.
Just refill and change with the recommended grade brake fuid as per the manufacturer, most likely to be Dot 3 or maybe Dot 4. Don't use Dot 5 as it most likely not compatible with the older rubber seal compounds as used in yesteryears.

The reason that stainless is used, (by every commercial re sleever of brakes that I have spoken to), is that once done you never need to touch it. The cost of a stainless sleeve versus mild steel or anything else is negligible in terms of material cost compared to labour and machining costs. Stainless and aluminium are compatible, (yes, I do realise that this was a cast iron cylinder). Why wouldn't you use the best material with the longest life if you are spending the dollars or time to undertake the project?
What make and model of truck was it anyway?

Try and find stainless steel tubing with an 1 1/2" ID

No doubt it is out there, somewhere, but brass is far more easily available...

Originally Posted by Karl Robbers

Why wouldn't you use the best material with the longest life if you are spending the dollars or time to undertake the project?

Yes I can understand if you need this wheel cylinder to last twice as long as the original did or to outlast the old truck X 2, but for what reason, it is a waste of $$$ and time.

If you really wanted to use the best material maybe something like duralumin or another spaceage material would have been more apt, but why?