Morris Minor Owners Club

The front slave cylinders I bought 1year/12000 miles ago are showing signs of weeping, and this week one of them went a bit further than that... On investigating, it is water damage that has caused the problem. They are the pattern cylinders, but do the genuine ones have any better arrangement for stopping water ingress? These only have an "o" ring under the cap, which doesn't look as though it could possibly seal anything! The slave cylinders I am familiar with on most cars have a tight fitting rubber boot. If the "genuine" Moggy ones are also sans boot then I will stick with the cheap type, in which case is there anything in the greasey line which would subdue the water damage without melting all over the shoes?

Genuine ones have no 'boot' - just a little O ring. A wipe round with red 'rubber grease' does no harm!

Whereas my set of knackered(unfortunately!) W ones have got lovely rubber boots! Thanks, sir, as I suspected, another new set of repro cylinders to be safe and a smear of red stuff! And stop driving through fords even though the daughter will moan!

Yes - the W cylinders do have boots! Another good reason ........ There are reasonably priced seal kits for the W cylinders on ebay. The pistons can be ejected by a grease gun connected to the hydraulic port - and my set cleaned up well !

I've recently got a set of front slave cylinders, full set all four, for £25 plus delivery. They look a better quality than the pattern ones I had on before that gave up after driving up and down the hills of Wales and getting a bit hot. I still have the old ones, I wanted to do an autopsy and figure out what did give up.

The new ones are working fine and stopping me on a six-pence, and that’s on a full set of 7” drums as was standard in ’58. Still can’t get over the fact that I need to get the front shoes from a Minor specialist, I remember buying Mintex ones from the shop down the road…??? Things have changed in the last 15 years…!!!

You should get a bravery award for driving on 7" drums!