Car needs another master cylinder..opinions on brands if you can

[zman]

A little history..Bought the car some 20 years ago and ran 6 some years on the factory cylinder..whatever brand they put new in them and since then it seems I buy a new one every 1-1/2 to 2 years. Really annoying because when it happens I am never ready for the extra expense, should have just rebuilt my original but like a fool I threw it away.
The brand I usually buy is KMM, only because it is the only one my parts guy has for non power brakes, this time I plan to upgrade to a better one. Going to order it online but Too many brands out there.
Bendix , ATE , Wagner , Doorman , TRW , Cardone , Raybestos , Centric , myle Any of these stand out as a premium product?
TRW,Bendix and ATE I remember was a quality product but these days with corporation buyouts and such who knows if things have changed and really are still good products.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Dusterdude]

If you can get wagner,buy it

 

[zman]

OK thanks Dusterdude, I`ll put it on the short list..I`m remembering correctly my original cylinder had leather seals..do they still use leather or is it all rubber now.I have rubber dust in my fluid, I notice it every time one goes out.

 

[dan filipi]

Gee I'm lost on this.
Quality today is like a total unknown.

 

[zman]

dan filipi » Sat Aug 23, 2014 4:42 pm[/url]":3j65s93w]
Gee I'm lost on this.
Quality today is like a total unknown.

Isn't that the truth..I am thinking the European standards are pretty strict with brake standards so anything made there should be a good product..Just surmising is all, could be wrong on that.

 

[AApple]

What kinda car we talkin aboot here? :headscratch:

 

[Ansimp]

AApple » Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:52 am[/url]":18jxgvsl]
What kinda car we talkin aboot here? :headscratch:

+1 Leather seal?
We have been getting a lot of brake parts here from India, nice and cheap but don't last long. :doh:

 

[slabghost]

Seems quality is a crapshoot on most things. You might want to consider a used oem off Ebay or a local yard and rebuild it. I can't recall the last car master cylinder I changed out. It's been front calipers and brake lines for me.

 

[Dusterdude]

Rubber is pretty standard these days

 

[zman]

Thanks guys..It is for my A1 Rabbit, Manual brakes.

 

[Ansimp]

zman » Sun Aug 24, 2014 9:01 pm[/url]":g3xy40le]
Thanks guys..It is for my A1 Rabbit, Manual brakes.

Jeff make sure that the pedal pushes the rod square into the master cylinder. I have had a similar problem with worn pivot / link pin etc that caused the mc to wear unevenly and fail prematurely.

 

[zman]

Ansimp » Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:02 am[/url]":2t97unbe]

zman » Sun Aug 24, 2014 9:01 pm[/url]":2t97unbe]
Thanks guys..It is for my A1 Rabbit, Manual brakes.

Jeff make sure that the pedal pushes the rod square into the master cylinder. I have had a similar problem with worn pivot / link pin etc that caused the mc to wear unevenly and fail prematurely.

I thought that too, It`s a simple clevis and hitch pin setup and nothing to go wrong, It does start the compression at a bit of an angle but halfway through compression it straitens out, thinking when they designed this they really were not considering how cheap parts would get, going to look for the best quality I can find and maybe a leather rebuild kit for the future.

 

[Ansimp]

I am amazed that you are having so much trouble with a VW. If you are happy with the activation is it possible that the brake fluid is becoming contaminated and causing premature failure of the MC ?

 

[zman]

Ansimp » Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:47 am[/url]":1ax6brjs]
I am amazed that you are having so much trouble with a VW. If you are happy with the activation is it possible that the brake fluid is becoming contaminated and causing premature failure of the MC ?

I think not, the way I see it is that my original lasted so long, cant see any contamination happening, it has a filler strainer, fluid does not look burned, still clean. I believe it is the piston made of inferior aluminum that scrapes off on the barrel of the cylinder and then the seal scrapes the metal causing the seal to wear..Thinking a brass piston with rawhide is the way to go if I can find an aftermarket one that uses better parts.

 

[Ansimp]

We have some brake cylinder re conditioners over here that use a tiny stainless sleeve which eliminates bore wear. Unfortunately it is expensive but handy when mass produce parts aren't available or are crappy quality.

 

[zman]

Ansimp » Sun Aug 24, 2014 8:19 am[/url]":mzm0xbql]
We have some brake cylinder re conditioners over here that use a tiny stainless sleeve which eliminates bore wear. Unfortunately it is expensive but handy when mass produce parts aren't available or are crappy quality.

That would be nice to have, Thinking the iron they are made from today is also 2nd rate, as well as the pistons..Just garbage disposable crap they make now days...I cant see a car being produced today ever lasting long enough to become a classic.

 

[Ansimp]

I couldn't agree more, makes me laugh when people talk about recycling . It seems like everything nowadays just winds up at the tip/ landfill just in different piles.