Labrauer Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 (edited) Well I changed out the diff. in the sedan and yesterday looked at the brakes. The shoes were fine but took the cylinders off the back axels and this is what I found. I haven't got to the front ones yet but I'm sure they are in the same shape and the master cylinder too. Sure glad I have not driven this car since I got it except for around the block once. The guy I got it from must of drove it and when it was delivered it was on the top of the hauler trailer. What a mess. I guess I now have to do a complete brake job which is something I hadn't counted on doing. If it's not one thing it's another but I guess that is the way it is with these old cars. Please take a look at pic 18 & 19 see the pits in the cylinder. I wonder if I should take a chance and just rebuild them or just go ahead and replace with whole new cylinders. Also there was two different springs so which one is the right one the small tapered one or the longer one?Topic is open for suggestions. Edited February 21, 2013 by Labrauer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 actually you have done yourself a favor by looking into the brakes..with any new purchase of an older car especially one that has not been currently on the road..it is good idea to go over the brakes if not for anything but peace of mind...the wheel cylinders were not expenisve when I bought mine for the 54...and available through Advance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 I have seen many crusty old Mopar wheel cylinders like that.Your cylinders look deeply pitted. I'd say you should get new wheel cylinders or have your old ones sleeved by Whitepost restorations or Hagen's. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruffy49 Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 Go Hagens or get new. I took one of mine to Hagens (used to live out there) and they almost keeled over dead at the amount of brake fluid turned green sand in the bore. Flushed it out, handed it back and told me to use it as a steelheading weight. They aren't all that high new. And if the cylinders are that bad, if it were me, new lines and master as well, plus DOT 5 brake fluid. Perfect time to upgrade the master cylinder to a dual circuit or swap for front discs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmiller Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 Mine were pretty bad too. I couldn't even take them apart. Here are some prices and info I collected when researching this last summer. Apple: uses brass; $50 to resleeve WC and $80 for MC; prices are $85 and 175 for complete rebuilds. Hagen's: stainless; $60 to resleeve and rebuild WC and $125 to resleeve and rebuild MC. Just resleeving is about $20 less for WC. Not sure about MC. Kits are $12 and $26. Don't repaint but "look like new" when done. No apparent written guarantee Sierra: brass; $60 for WC and $100 for MC. This is resleeving only and they don't do full rebuilds. 10-yr warranty. White Post: brass; $80 for WC and $175 for MC. This is full resleeve and rebuild. Lifetime warranty. They use an iron gray baked epoxy to paint. I was drawn to White Post because of full service and guarantee, but went with Hagen's because my wheel cylinders have two bore sizes. White Post wanted $120 for that instead of usual $80 and Hagen's price didn't change. I could not justify an additional $240. Hagen's did a great job and the parts really did look like new when I got them (Note-I painted them after I got them back.). Hagen's also has a bunch of other related parts so I was able to get everything from one place. They were also helpful via email. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Labrauer Posted February 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 I think that I am just going to order the wheel cylinders from Andy Bernbaum. I looked at their site and the back ones are 39.50 each and the front are 24.50 each and they are complete put together. He also has the master cylinder that is also complete for 145.00 so with the new brake shoes and the rubber hoses I can do this for 491.70 not including shipping. I will get new stainless brake lines from the local auto store they are pretty cheap too. So I would say for about 525.00 I should have everything and good dependable brakes. I would like to go to dics brakes on the front also but don't think it is an absolute thing to do right at the time being short on money at this time on the project. The dics brake conversion is not cheap but I hear that once you change over you will never go back to the shoe type brakes. I have done brakes on cars from the 60's and 70's but have never came across anything looking as bad as the 48 and surely not like the one JCMiller had a pick of. I thought mine were really bad but I think his takes the cake on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenbomb Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 NAPA has them listed online, and can be picked up at your local store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertKB Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 Mine were pretty bad too. I couldn't even take them apart. Here are some prices and info I collected when researching this last summer. Apple: uses brass; $50 to resleeve WC and $80 for MC; prices are $85 and 175 for complete rebuilds. Hagen's: stainless; $60 to resleeve and rebuild WC and $125 to resleeve and rebuild MC. Just resleeving is about $20 less for WC. Not sure about MC. Kits are $12 and $26. Don't repaint but "look like new" when done. No apparent written guarantee Sierra: brass; $60 for WC and $100 for MC. This is resleeving only and they don't do full rebuilds. 10-yr warranty. White Post: brass; $80 for WC and $175 for MC. This is full resleeve and rebuild. Lifetime warranty. They use an iron gray baked epoxy to paint. I was drawn to White Post because of full service and guarantee, but went with Hagen's because my wheel cylinders have two bore sizes. White Post wanted $120 for that instead of usual $80 and Hagen's price didn't change. I could not justify an additional $240. Hagen's did a great job and the parts really did look like new when I got them (Note-I painted them after I got them back.). Hagen's also has a bunch of other related parts so I was able to get everything from one place. They were also helpful via email. Thanks, that is great information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobT-47P15 Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 (edited) Just one other possible tidbit of information........since my car actually has about a 39 Dodge pickup rearend under it, it requires a different rear wheel brake cylinder than the average P15. It's a tad larger and, in my experience, harder to find. The only place I could find new ones was from everyone's friend, Andy Bernbaum. They ran about $50 each as I recall. (I still have the last two I bought a couple years ago wrapped up for future use). In order to get the correct cylinder a few years ago, I had to send him one of the old ones to match with. As most of you know, Andy has retired and sold the business......so perhaps the telephone contacts will now be a bit more pleasant. I will say that although brusque, Andy did seem to know his stuff. (Not flaming.....just sayin'). Oh....and another brake cyl thing I have encountered.........a couple years ago when I bought all new cyls from O'Reilly Auto Parts for the brown P15 coupe I ordered the closest thing they have available which is listed as for a 1951 Plymouth (as I recall). When the mechanic tried to put them on, the shoes would not back off far enough and the drum would just barely go on. After looking, we discovered that the indention where the pin joins the cyl was tapered like a "V", requiring a pin with pointed end. The pins on the car were rounded ends......therefore would not seat correctly. So, I took back to O'Reilly and bought some thru someone else....which worked. The point is......you might want to check to see if the cylinder and end of pin match up correctly. Or, if possible, get new pins. As I remember, O'Reilly could not supply new pins. Edited February 23, 2013 by BobT-47P15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Labrauer Posted February 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hey Greenbomb, I looked on line at the Napa ones and they are quite expencive at least from what I see that will fit the 48 plymouth. The rear ones list for 78.99 each and the front are 43.98 each. /From Andy the rear are 39.50 each and the front are 24.50 each. One thing I have noticed around here is that Napa doesn't carry parts like they do up north. I went to the one in Texas City one time to get a fuel pump and they told me that they only carry things like the plants use around there. I went to the one in Pearland which is about 40 minutes drive from the house to get (I forgot what) for the Plymouth which you all can get and they didn't have it and said they couldn't get it. One time I went there to get a FlameThower coil for my 52 ford truck and they didn't even know what I was talking about. Finally with a lot of talk one old guy looked in some books and found one so he called and they said he couldn't get it either. I hear all the time that guys on the fourm get their parts from Napa but around here you might as well go to Auto Zone you will have better luck. Just my two cents on Napa around south Texas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptwothree Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 My local NAPA usually says " No problem..it's in the midwest and it'll take a week to ten days ...$15 to ship" This is on a $2 part. I got my whl.cyls. from Advance auto supply. Most, but not all, the parts I get are online. One thing napa does stock are the wheel cyl pins/pushrods. they didn't have exactly what I needed but I shortened up some that they did have and they worked well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 similar experience here from our Local NAPA..as they are independent..you at the owners mercy on policy and attitude..I make these guys my last stop and only rarely do I even stop in..now the NAPA uptown is 180 out from these guys local..and they have about 10 different pricing charts it seem also... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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