brake master cylinders: who makes good ones?

[mikeinaustin]

what are your thoughts on the relative quality of brake master cylinders built by:

centric
raybestos
oes
...manufacturer of your choosing....



...mike

 

[Steelhead]

Raybestos

still have a major US footprint with a business reputation to maintain. they make most of their profits off the trucking, heavy industry, railway industries where reputation and long term trustworthness are main selling points.

they don't rely on the retail auto parts industry which is dominated now by the boutique brake boys. either the overseas cheaper is better crowd or the "performance boy toy street racer" mentality crowd that charge a 50% markup just for the fluff advertising
advertising on Man Cave TV shows costs fortunes in real money

 

[HTSS_TR]

+1 Raybestos

 

[mikeinaustin]

folks, i have a ford escape (2002) that appears to have an extremely slow mc leak. maybe 6 months to a year to go from high to low. would you replace now or wait or what?

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: mikeinaustin
folks, i have a ford escape (2002) that appears to have an extremely slow mc leak. maybe 6 months to a year to go from high to low. would you replace now or wait or what?


You sure it is a leak and not because you wear out your pad and have the volume dropped?

 

[mikeinaustin]

yes its a leak, but extremely slow. can see the damage wear the paint on the brake booster has been destroyed by it.

 

[PandaBear]

If that's the case I would replace now.

 

[lord kelvin]

You might consider a master-cylinder rebuild kit. It's just a few hydraulic cup seals to replace. Just put it in a vice, remove the circlip, two pistons and a spring will then come out. Just replace the cup seals on the pistons, bench bleed it and re-install. I bought the HarborFreight bleeder kit. My dad and I have been doing this forever. Hasn't failed us yet.

Once you see how easy & fast it is to do, you'll never buy a rebuild again. I certainly won't.

 

[mechtech2]

Brake master cylinders are easy indeed to rebuild.

But watch out for corrosion and pitting in the bore. That may be a deal killer. A light dressing with steel wool on a drill, or non aggressive Scotchbrite on a drill is good. If you need a real hone job, get a rebuild instead.
CLEAN IT REAL GOOD! Then bench bleed it and put it on. More than likely, you will not have to bleed the brakes, but it is a great idea.

 

[artificialist]

Raybestos rocks, it seems like whenever I get one, it is just a relabeled OE product.

Usually, however, where I work, I end up with reman components from Cardone. I haven't had one come back, or find one in a wreck, so I guess Cardone is okay... That in mind, you are probably looking for the best, and I am not sure what is best.

Certain reman alternators have gotten around the bore pitting problem by boring the cylinder out and pressing in an iron or steel sleeve.

Often replacement master cylinders don't have reservoirs, and getting the old one on the new master cylinder can be a pain. That, and the stains in the old reservoir look bad.