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Topic: 25 buck master brake cyl  (Read 3858 times)

Offline Smelly_Cat

25 buck master brake cyl

« on: March 27, 2010, 05:12:58 AM »
Since the passing of the Previa,  me and Stupie have been spending alot of quality time going to work ...etc.  I figure its in the vw owners  manual that you have to pump the brakes a bit to get them working ever now and again.  Lately,  at every stop,  the pedal goes to the floor.   It irritates me because when the brake pedal bottoms out,  car does not stop well and it is difficult to roll  foot on the  gas pedal  to rev the engine to keep it idling.

If I replace the master cyl again.  it will be my 3rd one in 5 years  is that common with cheap mexican brake cyl's? 

Offline Zen

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Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2010, 06:25:11 AM »
If I replace the master cyl again.  it will be my 3rd one in 5 years  is that common with cheap mexican brake cyl's?

No, that's not common; most of the time a cheap one won't last that long.  And don't just assume that it's Mexican because it's cheap . . . they are usually much better quality and last much longer than the REALLY cheap ones that come from India or China.  ;)
 
Anyway, go ahead and empty your wallet and get the best quality you can find.  Clean out your fluid reservoir and pipes with brake parts cleaner before you install the new master cylinder.  Use new, clean, good quality fluid (In other words, don’t try to recycle the old brake fluid. It’s bad for the environment. It puts cars in the scrape yard. Use the old fluid for paint remover, ant killer, or something else that’s more environmental friendly).

After you put it all back together, pressure bleed the system to remove ALL the air and ALL of the old fluid.  By the way, if you don’t pressure bleed and you doing the old two person pump/hold/bleed method, you should always bleed the front brakes first, rear brakes last on a Beetle. Sounds crazy, but it’s true. David informed me about this several years ago . . . I tried it and he’s right.  Until you get the air out of the front, you can’t get the air out of the back.  Something to do with the way the master cylinder is designed with a floating piston for one side of the circuit.
Anyway, after you get the air out, adjust the shoes tight against the drums then back them off slightly.  Don’t back ‘em off till they quit rubbing the drums or you’ll have to pump ‘em out against the drums every time before you can start stopping.

Make sure you buckle up before you take off down the road.  Super Beetles actually have great brakes if you get them working right.  If you get them right and aren’t use to them, you’ll get up close and personal with the windshield the first time you slam ‘em on!  Don’t ask me how I know that.     ;D
« Last Edit: March 27, 2010, 06:51:15 AM by Zen »

Offline Smelly_Cat

Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2010, 06:51:37 AM »
lol Zen.  I see a brazil made for 70 bucks and a german made for $160,  and then the ones I get at American Foreign in Dalton for $25,. 

If I put thicker brake fluid in ,  will hold pressure better?   SC

Offline Zen

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Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2010, 07:24:51 AM »
Nope.  Do it right once and be done with it.  Or don't.  If you keep driving on that glued together tire, brakes aren't going to matter anyway.   ;)

I think I've said this before; if not, it's not because I haven't thought it.  I have no problem taking a pile of junk parts and building a junk engine, throwing it a car and head out on a road trip to see if it hold together long enough to get me back home . . . but I want the brakes to be right!!!  A bad engine can hurt your pride and leave you stranded . . . bad brakes can kill you and other folks around you. 

Offline Smelly_Cat

Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2010, 06:11:37 PM »
I decided to check out the front brakes.  I never changed them since I dragged stupie out of the grass 5 years ago.  I have the new shoes and I'm getting the drums turned
I probaly should do the wheel cyl's but I'm lazy today.  SC

Offline Smelly_Cat

Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2010, 06:13:06 PM »
The blurry lines on the pad are cracks .   Advance has a master Cyl for 18 bucks!

Offline ASBug

  • Varnel, Ga
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Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2010, 07:28:08 PM »
I think that you will find that the cheap master cyl. are for a standard beetle.
I may be wrong, but I expect that soon you'll post that the MC had to be returned, or you'll post a photo of a wierd hook up that you "stubbed in" to get it to work.

Hey any thing is possible, Zen has a Super MC on Honmer the super bus. 

KC

Offline Zen

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Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2010, 09:32:52 AM »
Hey any thing is possible, Zen has a Super MC on Honmer the super bus. 

Shhhhhhhhh!!!!  What happens in the triangle stays in the triangle!

In my defence, this was done by a previous owner (also from LaFayette) who took some time to figure the stroke and diameter of the super's master cylinder vs. the original bus master cyclinder.  The super master cylinder had a better "hydraulic advantage" (for lack of a better way to describe it) than the bus cylinder, which he figured would make up for the lack of a brake booster.  As long as I keep the shoes adjusted, Homer has good brakes.   8)

Offline Smelly_Cat

Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2010, 11:06:30 AM »
please tell me reg beetle and super beetle wheel brake cyl are the same. 

Cause the ones I got dont fit and the bleeder is on the bottom  and the one I rpeplaced was on top

Offline Smelly_Cat

Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2010, 12:09:29 PM »
get drum s  turned  CHeck
Buy wrong drum shoe pads.  Check

Buy wrong wheel cyls  Check

Offline Zen

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Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #10 on: March 28, 2010, 12:26:40 PM »
please tell me reg beetle and super beetle wheel brake cyl are the same. 

Rear brakes are identical.  Front brakes are different . . . different drums, shoes, wheel cylinders, and backing plates.

Offline bubbz

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Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #11 on: March 29, 2010, 09:48:33 PM »
                             
          :D
       :D    :D
     :D        :D                     
  :D :D :D :D :D
The Triangle... lol

Offline Ret.Bugtech

Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #12 on: March 30, 2010, 11:50:58 AM »
                             
          :D
       :D    :D
     :D        :D                     
  :D :D :D :D :D
The Triangle... lol
Be vary vary careful about approaching the Triangle . They have Spys everywhere .Sometime they can be serious about things. I haven't figured out what that could possibly be. Even Ga.Gov.Sonny Purdue won't go into the Triangle without "back Up"

Offline Smelly_Cat

Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #13 on: March 30, 2010, 08:51:11 PM »
Hye ow I attend a nazi I mean rebublican rally with Sonny at the HS  a few years ago

Offline Smelly_Cat

Re: 25 buck master brake cyl

« Reply #14 on: March 31, 2010, 08:19:16 PM »
man i is cheap.  I went to autozone  they had new one for 40 and a rebuilt one for 18,  Guess which one i got?  SC

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