Date:         Tue, 14 Mar 2000 08:08:45 -0800
Reply-To:     "ThomasD. Hanlon" <hanran@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "ThomasD. Hanlon" <hanran@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: Are Vanagon brake MC's rebuildable?
Comments: To: BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Brent,

Yes. They are rebuidable, if the scoring and pitting are not too deep
into the cylinder walls.

You can buy a kit, a Beck-Arnley (for an 84 in my case) part number
071-7491, Clutch Master Cylinder "Short Kit," about $20.00 as I
remember, dimly.  Essentially, the CMCSK elements are two rubber
washers, and a dust cover. You reuse the present springs, and metal
washers.  I think the kit came from Autozone or Pep Boys.  I have the
hones, an investment of about $20.00 for each of about three sizes,
which I have used for years for other cylinder grinding purposes, so the
cost is partially an investment in tools for future use and partially
for the immediate instance. You'll also need a "lubricant" specific to
cylinder "rubber/Neoprene" installations, or you can cope with brake
fluid as the lube.

If you have the time and the inclination, you can make a case for the
economy of the kit, but only if you have discretionary time and interest
in this kind of "watch-maker" activity. Ken Wilfey's opinion is
appropriate for immediate efficiencies.

I've refurbished old cylinders for "spares" when I've purchased the new
ones, before I had any appreciation of "kits."  Refurbished brake
cylinders, slave cylinder, wheel cylinders reside, now, in my emergency
stock for on-the-road needs, if they should occur.

Tom Hanlon
Palm Springs, CA
84 Westfalia

> BRENT CHRISTENSEN wrote:
>
> Subject says it all.  I'm starting to think that my mushy pedal might
> be due to problems with the MC...
>
> (It has over 200,000 miles on it, after all...)
>
> Brent Christensen
> '89 GL Syncro Westy
> Santa Barbara, CA