Brake Cylinders

[Elstro1988]

As mentioned in other threads, my service invoice tells me my rear wheel cylinders are leaking into the dust covers (and the drums are worn, so are the discs and pads). The cylinders was the only job marked 'Urgent'. Yet the braking power had never given me any cause to worry.

I am a complete novice when it comes to spanner work (sad at the age of 23, yeah I know) and the quote from Halfords (who failed to reset my timing and misdiagnosed pinking to be tappets) was £125 for this job. And I refuse to go back to them as they'll probably just take a dump on my engine or something next time.

Is it worth sending out an SOS signal around the Cambridge area and getting the cylinders (and shoes) myself and seeing if there's anyone who'd help me?

[conza123]

yes be cause the brake fluid leaking from the cylinders can contamiate the shoes and knacker them more

[tom reid]

Why don't you buy yourself a Haynes manual and have a go yourself?

[marc69]

the drums can probably just be sanded down and smoothed, i have never yet seen worn out drums and I have a nova that is 270K plus miles

as said above the cylinders have to be replaced but, I once messed this up, I twisted the pipe at the back of the hub and burst it! pull the cylinder through and move it to get the nut to start to turn.

Get someone to look at the brakes, it might not be as bad as you have been told. If the car has been lying, a clean up of discs and caliper sliders etc can make a huge difference.

buy someone from here who lives near you some beers!!

PS any luck with the running problems?

[Will F]

You can get brand new drums on eBay for around £20-30 and shoes are £15 ish, so no huge drama.

Cylinders are about £4 each and are straight forward to swap - a bit fiddly if your not swapping the shoes as there are springs/clips etc that will be covered in cr*p

[pikey1986]

if you dont buy a haynes manual just get the rear end up in the air, remove both drums and set about doing 1 side while using the other side as a reference

[marc69]

I do sypathise though with not wanting to start the mechinical stuff. When I changed my first radiator (thorugh crap ones being done from garages) I was really nervous, but end result, pleased.

All the brakes and stuff just seemed like a foreign language, however owning an old Nova, I am afraid you have little choice, but everything you fix, just think how much money you have saved AND more importantly, at least you know the job is done. That's the only reason I ever started doing repairs on my cars. After many many years, i still make mistakes and get stuck, but that's life if you are as simple as me.

Also when mates with modern cars ask me for lifts to the garage to collect thoier faulty cars also is pretty cool!

Have a go or at least assist someone else and then start tackling easy jobs.

[blue_peg_16v]

How much do halfrauds want be Jesus brake cylinders are about £3 each retail so bet there only paying at most £1.50 for them, have a go ya self get a Haynes as mentioned to help guide ya isn't a bad job really.

[Benn]

If they are leaking bad, you wanna change the shoes too, but neither are big/hard jobs.