Remote Master Cylinder Reservoir

[grey beard]

Dooes anyone have a workable suggestion for a remote reservoir for master cylinders, something that would go on the firewall and save time when filling and checking fluid?

Thanks:)

[oldmopar]

Not sure who but I think someone form the oldboard had a setup like that. I have a also seen the same set up on some Willys vehicles and I think MPbrake sells a kit

Ed

[Plymouthy Adams]

I have an old MP catalog here..cough cough..billet aluminum 160.00...lot of jingle for a filler..

[Norm's Coupe]

A-1 Auto Parts in Indiana. Reservoir and bracket about $60. Forgot their web address, run a search and you'll find them. Everything else in the picture was purchased locally at a rod shop, except the MC cap. That was home made out of aluminum.

[1948Skip]

Norm's Coupe,

Do you have any location info on A-1 in Indiana or a web site.

Thanks

Skip

[bob westphal]

I made one out of an old can with a screw on lid. I used a bolt on schrader type valve for a fitting on the bottom of the can and put a slip on 1/8 pipe fitting in the M/C cap. Ran a neopreme hose between the fittings.

[grey beard]

Good suggestiion, Bob. I think I'll do the same. Did you have any problems getting the air out on the initial fill-up?

Thanks

[RobertKB]

Takes me two minutes to pull up the rubber mat and horse hair undergarment, remove the cover over the MC, take off filler cap and check level. Occasionally add brake fluid, very occasionally. Reverse order to put everything back. Well, maybe 3-5 minutes depending if I got all the tools and brake fluid together first. I don't like brake fluid anywhere near paint (ie. firewall) and don't mind doing it the old fashioned way.

[grey beard]

Yes, but Robert, you do not have a Pilothouse Dodge pickup with the ms reservoil tucked behind the steering box and in front of the crossmember. These are nearly impossible for us fat guys to get to, much less fill without running some over or getting dirt into the juice in the process. That is why I will adeapt something for my vehicle. JMHO:)

[Bob Riding]

The stock single reservoir master scares me. Any swaps that would remain in the original location, yet have the double redundancy of a dual?

Bob

[bob westphal]

There is another trick to gain easy access to the M/C in the cars. When the carpet work was being done on the S-11, They made an easy access removable plate by fastening a thin wood cutout over the original opening in floor and gluing carpet to the insert. All that is needed to check the M/C level is to pull up on the sewn in tab on the insert and remove the original inspection plate and M/C cap.

Bob

[Jeff.P_46]

MPbrakes makes a universal bolt on dual res. w/booster that would fit in the same location as the original. You always hear that the single should be replaced witha double but I would be curious to hear if anyone has every really experienced a single reservoir failure?

Jeff

[De Soto Frank]

I've been driving pre-1965 iron since getting my license in 1984.

I have NEVER experienced a "total brake system failure" on any vehicle except those that were over 20 years old and had NOT had their entire systems re-built and re-plumbed.

I have done total system rebuilds on at least six "single-pot" systems in the last ten years, with no catastrophic failures on any of them after rebuilding.

Are dual-reservoir systems "safer" ? Sure they are... the design provides redundancy as an extra measure of safety... ( belt & suspenders)

Personally, I have not felt the need to convert my vehicles over to dual res systems; but then I am driving complete "stockers", within their original intended limitations.

It is my personal opinion that anyone living outside the desert SW who is driving a vehicle older than 10-15 years that has not re-plumbed the hydraulic system is driving a "time-bomb. All brake-system failures I've experienced were the result of rusty old lines failing. Some looked "fine" from the outside, but when I cut open the failed tubing, they were corroded from the inside-out.

If one is retaining the "single-pot" brake system, it would be a VERY good idea to make sure the emergency brake is in good order; just in case.

Back to remote reservoirs: Moss Motors ( .com) is a specialty supplier for "fine British sports-cars" ( Healey ,etc), and they have a repro "brake fluid tank" for about $60, that repops the Girling "tin-can" style that is very similar to those used on American cars that used Lockheed brakes between 1925 and about 1932... the only issue about the "tin-can" style is that they will tend to rust-out ( DOT-3 fluids being hygroscopic).

James Douglas found a rig that uses a plastic reservoir.

Frank McMullen

[Guest jjmorrse]

I lost brakes on my 54 soon after I got it. A metal line failed. Fortunately, the Ebrake worked. I would suggest a dual unit, especially if you are going to do any substantial work anyway. If not, get very serious about your Ebrake. Just my 2 cents worth.

[bob_amos]

Mopar actually made one of these as an assessory. I recall seeing one on eBay and actually bid on it. The price was higher than I wanted to spend. Not that it was too high. I just didn't want to spend much at the time. Now I wish that I had bid higher. I also cannot recall the year it was made for but it would defenately fit most Chrysler products that we are interested in. If I was going to install one in my car I'd opt for this unit as it would be more original than anything that you might make up.

[Norm's Coupe]

Mopar actually made one of these as an assessory. I recall seeing one on eBay and actually bid on it. The price was higher than I wanted to spend. Not that it was too high. I just didn't want to spend much at the time. Now I wish that I had bid higher. I also cannot recall the year it was made for but it would defenately fit most Chrysler products that we are interested in. If I was going to install one in my car I'd opt for this unit as it would be more original than anything that you might make up.

Bob,

I had one of those Mopar original units several years ago. Was a complete NOS setup. After receiving it and taking my first look, I sold it. It looked like it would be more of a mess keeping it full than doing it under the floor. Just taking the lid off to refill it would make a mess under the hood before you poured one drop from a can. If you saw the way it's supposed to be installed from the instructions, you'd see what I'm talking about.

[bob_amos]

Really? Gee, I have never seen one and didn't realize that it was not up to speed. And I worked for Chrysler for over 20 years. I knew they were rare and maybe that is why. Maybe I should rethink it then. I was considering installing one if I could find one. Oh well, guess I can now spend my money on another toy for one of my cars then... (I'd still like to actually see one up close though. Even if just for giggles.)

[Norm's Coupe]

Bob,

What makes the original one a mess is the way it works when it's installed. All the modern remotes work on gravity. The brake line comes out the bottom of the reservoir. With the original Mopar unit that has the glass jar, it works on a siphon system. The jar sits upright in the bracket. The brake line is connected to the jar lid, then a tube goes from the brake line at the lid to the bottom of the jar. Now, you can imagine the mess it would be to disconnect the jar lid under the hood each time it needed to be refilled. You have brake fluid dripping all over the place from disconnecting the brake line (to turn the lid off), then it would be dripping from the tube when you got the lid off. That's why I said it's a mess.

[James_Douglas]

I have a remote MC on my Desoto. The end plug of andold MC is the same thread as the top. See photo. I used a Tildon remote that is used on a race car. You can get them new for about $50.

WARNING. After I purchased my Desoto, I put in a NEW rear wheel cylinder. About a year later the seal in it fail and I had a total loss of braking on the single MC system.

The problem was that the new cup in the cylinder had a manufacturing flaw. Something was in the mold when it was made. It was a ver small indentation along the outside part of the cup that does the sealing. It was a little "channel" that once the cup wore just a bit connected the "channel" to the fluid and the failure occered. Therefor, I warn everybody to check with a magnifine glass all the cups on new cylinders and any rebuild kits. If one came out of the mold that way, you can bet that other are as well.

Best, James

[Guest Nile Limbaugh]

I lost brakes once with a single reservoir and once with a dual. The single was on a 49 Ford when the feed line to the rear axle cracked and I blew alomst every drop of juice onto the pavement. The dual was on a Chevette. One of the rear lines blew out from internal rust. It still took way to long to stop, but it was better than dragging a foot, which is more than I can say about the Ford.

[Merle Coggins]

I work for a Volvo Construction Equipment Dealership and we have equipment that uses a remote reservior for the brake system. They are about 5.5" tall and 3" diameter, which may be larger that you'd need, but it is a nice reservior. Volvo P/N 4872244 shows a list price of $48.86. Comes with the mounting bracket, cap and a barb type fitting at the bottom to connect a hose.

Merle

[grey beard]

Thanks Merle - clean setup idea. Found the Tilton reservoir on the net last night of the sort shown in this thread a few frames back on a site by Pegasus Auto Racing. It's just the right size and almost looks like it belongs on he firewall. Anything will beat the nasty spot Dodge put these master cylinders in for filling on Pilothouse trucks.

I've noticed that older Dodge vehicles seem to loose their brakes sooner and more often than some other brands when they've been left sitting for some time - like years. Could it be that these master cylinders get contaminated during all the contortions required to check and refill them? Surely would be easy to get dirt in there. At least the guys with cars can go through the floor but Pilothouse vehicles don't even have that option. JMHO:)

[Guest Sheldon Bates]

MPbrakes makes a universal bolt on dual res. w/booster that would fit in the same location as the original. You always hear that the single should be replaced witha double but I would be curious to hear if anyone has every really experienced a single reservoir failure?

Jeff

I looked MP Brake and the set up was for a car with an automatic trans. Need a clutch. I saw a ad for a duel M/C that bolted to the end of the stock M/C for a chevy Would that work on a Plymouth??

Sheldon

[Norm's Coupe]

I thought this thread originally started out about remote reservoirs for the MC. As for a direct bolt in dual MC, you can buy those for the P15's and up to about 1954 from ECI (Engineered Components Inc.). They just started making and selling them a little over a year ago. Web Address http://www.ecihotrodbrakes.com/index.html Not sure if they will fit the trucks, but you could check with them.

[canoehenge]

Another source for remote reservoirs is Pegasus Auto Racing at http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/group.asp?GroupID=MCRESERVOIR

They will have what you need for reasonable prices.