Brakes

[MColes]

Started working on the car today to get the brakes working again.

I've stripped the rear brakes down (shoes off, cylinders off etc.), when it came time to putting it back together I had a bit of a problem. I can't get the new cylinders in - what's the technique/trick?

[aupickup]

sometimes you have to hit them in gently, the cylinders seem a little long but they will go in, you get the lip of the cylinder in the hole on the back plate and then push upwards i think, somego first time
i have had problems with pattern ones but evenyually they do go in

[MColes]

Yes that's what they needed, a bit of persuading. All working now

[mike.perry]

The most important tool is a hammer!

[marcusthemoose]

tried this today with a pattern one that was in the boot of my 55 four door project- hitting it didn't work for me, just cracked the casting
the wheel cylinder is now useless and thats another £10 i have to fork out. a much safer method is:
remove the half shaft
slacken of the four bolts that hold the backing plate on
slide in cylinder
tighten bolts
replace half shaft
peice of cake!
takes 5 minutes and saves you a tenner-can't be bad

[kittyfell]

I think 'gentle tapping' is what's required, not hitting it so hard it cracks

[marcusthemoose]

i only hit it with a nylon handled screwdriver a couple of times! just glad it broke then and not anywhen important.

[MikeHA4]

Oh, dear. I always thought a good piece of softwood against the item to be struck when it is an alloy casting was the safest, tap the wood with the hammer - tap of course, not whack!

[MColes]

i only hit it with a nylon handled screwdriver a couple of times!

That's what I done. A couple of taps with the handle and it went in no problem.

[marcusthemoose]

don't know how well the cylinder was made, perhaps not very well. it was the rear of the casting that slides into the slot. it just fatigued at the thinnest part of the casting. bum