Brake master cylinder

[grumpy2]

Hoping to do some work on the stag this week as I'm off work. One of the jobs I'm thinking about is changing the brake master cylinder as the pedal has rather a lot of travel. However the pedal is good with no sinking and the brakes are excellent and will readily lock up all four wheels if enough pressure is applied.

So I guess my questions are...

Do I really need a new master cylinder?, and if so..

Full new assembly from Paddocks at £120?
Wait for stoneliegh and get a new one for less?
Get a recon one from a chap on eBay at £60 (new seals only)?
Fit new seals my self at £15?

Opinions welcome especially if you too have a long travel brake pedal or if you've fitted your own seals

Cheers

Gary

[wilf]

I might have a very good look at the rear brake adjusters before swapping the master cylinder. Lots of pedal travel could be caused by that. How's the handbrake?

[MandM]

Hi, long brake pedal travel may be down the rear shoes not being adjusted up properly, and or air in system would change brake fliud and adjust back brakes and clean front pads making sure they move as required, before going down the route of a new master cyclinder, as not all master cyclinder are equal!!!!. The way Ian adjust his rear brakes is how i was shown, you will find it in another link. but can't remember which one.

Cheers the yellow crewe

[milothedog]

http://www.stag.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?20273-Rear-Wheel-Cylinders-Any-tips&p=213182#post213182

No 16


ian

[Gresley]

Hi Gary,

I fitted a new one from Paddocks to my Stag about two years ago, I did start to dismantle the original but the bore was scored so I gave up on it.

As for pedal travel, I had exactly this problem recently and it turned out to be the rear brake adjusters. I had thought that they were adjusted up properly but it turned out that they were not, although they do work automatically. I took the drums off and moved them up one click at a time until I was happy as in the above thread (I found that pressing the pedal each time the drum was refitted made a difference) and now I have a good pedal.

Brian

[grumpy2]

Hi Chaps

I looked at the rear brakes about a month ago but couldn't figure a way to adjust them manually, Ian , you say to use a thin screwdriver behind the brake shoe. Is that with the drum on or off? Brian I couldn't see a way to 'move them up' manually.

Must be honest with the long travel rear brake adjustment was my first thought, but taking the drums off and checking the auto adjusters were free I sort of assume they're correctly adjusted. I did manage to free the adjustment to check they weren't siezed and could clearly hear clicking when I first applied the brakes afterwards

hmmm

[Gresley]

Hi Gary,

Mine clicked up automatically but I still found that I had to adjust them up a couple of clicks. I did it with the drum off and levered the shoe with the adjuster outwards gently until the adjuster clicked. Took lots of trial and error...!!

Brian

[milothedog]

With the drum off, feed the long thin screwdriver in behind the shoe from the top and you can feel it go behind the pivoting part of the ratchet, then apply slight pressure and it will start to jump the teeth. if you go too far, then from the outside just push down on the lower part whilst pushing the shoe back to let it off again.

Ian.

Forgot to add, every time you refit the drum give it a tap with a hammer on each side to centralize the shoes then spin it by hand. Keep doing this until you have minimal shoe to drum clearance.