Chevrolet C8 1940 Cab 11 restoration, The Netherlands

Alex van de Wetering · #1 29-07-13, 23:23

It's about time for an update. I had the master cylinder sleeved in Stainless by the Fillins station in the US. Sleeving seems to be a lost art out here in Holland and even with import tax and postage it was cheaper to have it sleeved in the US. You can see the difference in the first two shots. Than it was a matter of assembling it again with some brake grease and a rebuild kit.
Finding the big copper washer for the plug at the rear was a challenge again, but in the end I found it at a tractor parts supplier here close at home.
The last pics shows the master cylinder fitted on the truck and I was almost fully satisfied.....

Alex van de Wetering · #2 29-07-13, 23:28

The thing that had been bugging me from the beginning was that one of the studs in the master cylinder casting was not really screwed in far enough.....So, took the master cylinder off again and with help of two nuts and a spanner I tried to screw it in further. I didn't even put the thing in a vice, but than it was "snap".....cracked the casting! I unscrewed the stud and found the lower half of the hole was filled with black crud....maybe even from the factory??

Not a happy ending this weekend, I'm afraid....and really don't know if this thing can be saved or not.

Alex

Bob Carriere · #3 30-07-13, 01:12

What a bit of bad luck Alex......

The casting maybe welded but how high is the risk of the brakes failing later....

Can you clean out the crude at the bottom and will that leave you enough thread to set a stud then have it welded to the casting..

At the barn we have been in the habit a running a tap in every bolt holes to clean the threads and a die over old bolts.

Bob

hrpearce · #4 30-07-13, 02:49

Bob is on the right track but braze don't weld. if the threads are shiny clean then you should be able to get the brass to run down at least half the thread, that will bind it all back together. You will need a heated tin of sand to bury most of the cylinder in to prevent distortion and cracking from cooling to quickly.

Lynn Eades · #5 30-07-13, 04:23

Alex, in my opinion you have to scrap it. Just too risky. How do you explain after an accident, that you thought you had done a good job of welding it?
You only have a single circuit system. It has to be right.
Sorry Alex. Just one blokes honest opinion.

Dave Mills · #6 30-07-13, 10:41

Bad luck with the master cylinder, always a good way to ruin a productive weekend of work. For what it is worth and being a mechanic myself I was always taught and practiced that you never apply heat to brake parts or steering components as it fatigues the metal/cast and it will fail over time. My advice would be to source another component and run a tap through every thread, blow it out with compressed air prior to assembly. I even run a die nut over every stud and bolt thread.
Cheers,
Dave.

Ganmain Tony · #7 30-07-13, 11:08

I agree with the other fella's Alex. Im afraid you'll have to get another one.

This is bloody frustrating and I would be very upset myself having just had it resleeved.

There may be one other option.

If you were to take it to a professional repairer and he was to say he can and will fix it, then I think you would be OK to proceed with a repair job - providing the professional does the work.

I suppose then it is a matter of cost - if the repair is as much or nearly as much as replacement - well then, go with replacement.