I just had White Post restore my caliper cylinders. They install brass sleeves
at $80 each and you don't have to worry about pitting corrosion. They use
your pistons rather than installing new ones as their website implies. So if
you have them do yours, send your pistons too. The stainless cylinders from
Hyedracyl are attractive, especially the oversize ones, but I didn't want a
second mortgage for 4 new cylinders ;-) Maybe I can sell my old calipers to my
neighbor who has an E type to help pay for the sleeved cylinders. :-P
-----Original Message-----
From: John F Sandhoff <sandhoff@csus.edu>
Sent: Mar 12, 2004 12:07 PM
To: Gabriel LaO <gabe_lao@yahoo.com>
Cc: datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Restoring/Chroming Brake Cylinders..
> My concern is if replacing the bushing kit for this cylinder doesn't
> work, is it worth trying to restore this cylinder?
Since we're talking about rust, I'm assuming we're talking about the
front Dunlop/Sumitomo cylinders.
As soon as you get a little pitting, you'll have an issue with a
consistent, reliable seal. The majority of the inside surface is
used as a sealing surface sometime during the pad's life. Especially
problematic is that on older systems with used pads, the corrosion
happens in the area that is then critical once new pads are installed
and push the piston back into the now-damaged area. That's why
so many of our cars develop brake leak problems after a simple
brake pad replacement.
OEM cylinders, last I knew, were still available in the $60 range. I
doubt you can restore yours for that. But you're back to having
prone-to-rust steel units.
Moving up, you can have yours resleeved with stainless by places
like White Post Restoration. Eliminates the problem of them rusting
and pitting. About twice the cost of buying a new (and they need your
core, so the car will be down for awhile).
Or you can buy new SS calipers from Hyedracyl. Not cheap at $209
each these days... (http://www.hyedracyl.com/). Maybe they offer a
quantity discount?
For reference, these front Dunlops (Sumitomo licensed the design
so that's why we have Sumitomos) are shared with Jaguars and
Studebakers. And if you're rebuilding yours, make sure that little post
in the center is in good shape. It fits (tightly) into a spring-loaded sleeve
inside the piston and is used to retract the pads off the rotor. Some
PO's have gone as far as to remove this post during a rebuild! Yikes!!
I can't emphasize enough: Don't cheat on your brakes!
-- John
John F Sandhoff sandhoff@csus.edu Sacramento, CA
p.s. It's spring (except for you Aussies). Have you thoroughly flushed
your brake system with quality fluid? (DOT4 Castrol GT/LMA is
popular). Flush now, or pay later!
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