Really your fixing a bleeder! <TABLE ***le="Part of the drum brake system, wheel cylinders work by forcing the brake shoes against the drums when you apply the brakes." border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD cl***=ygtvde****ell></TD><TD cl***=ygtvblankde****ell></TD><TD cl***=ygtvblankde****ell></TD><TD cl***=ygtvde****ell></TD><TD id=ygtvt375 cl***=ygtvtm></TD><TD>Wheel Cylinder</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <TABLE id=partnode377 cl***=partnode border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD id=ygtvcontentel377 cl***=ygtvhtml><TABLE style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 2px groove; BORDER-LEFT: 2px groove; BACKGROUND-COLOR: white; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate; BORDER-TOP: 2px groove; BORDER-RIGHT: 2px groove" cl***=main cellSpacing=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" cl***=center colSpan=5><TABLE cl***=layout><TBODY><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 40%" cl***="left closebtn"> </SPAN></TD><TD cl***=center>Related Parts</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 40%" cl***=right><INPUT style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" id=node377togglealternate name=togglealternate type=checkbox>Choose for Me to Minimize Cost </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TH>1948 CHEVROLET TRUCK 3.8L 235cid L6 : Brake/Wheel Hub : Wheel Cylinder Wiki</TH><TH>Price</TH><TH style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; DISPLAY: none; VISIBILITY: hidden" id=node377altheading>Alternate</TH></TR><TR id=table377part0 cl***=part0><TD cl***=alternate0 rowSpan=2><TABLE cl***=parts><TBODY><TR><TD cl***=left><TABLE cl***=layout><TBODY><TR><TD cl***=partlayout>RAYBESTOS Part # WC3406 Professional Grade Front; 3100 Model 1-1/4" Bore; RK; Front; Base Model</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD style="HEIGHT: 40px" cl***=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" id=node377part0price cl***="center leftrightborder boldfont priceonly alternate0">$23.79</TD><TD style="DISPLAY: none; VISIBILITY: hidden" id=node377part0altfiller cl***="center boldfont leftrightborder pricebreakdown alternate0"></TD><TR id=table377add0 cl***=part0><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; WHITE-SPACE: nowrap; PADDING-TOP: 5px" cl***="alternate0 center">Add Part </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; DISPLAY: none; VISIBILITY: hidden" cl***="alternate0 center"><INPUT id=node377part0alternate name=alternate type=checkbox></TD></TR><TR id=table377part1 cl***=part1><TD cl***=alternate1 rowSpan=2><TABLE cl***=parts><TBODY><TR><TD cl***=left><TABLE cl***=layout><TBODY><TR><TD cl***=partlayout>RAYBESTOS Part # WC4358 Professional Grade Front; 3800 Model; 3900 Model</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD style="HEIGHT: 40px" cl***=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" id=node377part1price cl***="center leftrightborder boldfont priceonly alternate1">$34.79</TD><TD style="DISPLAY: none; VISIBILITY: hidden" id=node377part1altfiller cl***="center boldfont leftrightborder pricebreakdown alternate1"></TD><TR id=table377add1 cl***=part1><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; WHITE-SPACE: nowrap; PADDING-TOP: 5px" cl***="alternate1 center">Add Part </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; DISPLAY: none; VISIBILITY: hidden" cl***="alternate1 center"><INPUT id=node377part1alternate name=alternate type=checkbox></TD></TR><TR id=table377part2 cl***=part0><TD cl***=alternate0 rowSpan=2><TABLE cl***=parts><TBODY><TR><TD cl***=left><TABLE cl***=layout><TBODY><TR><TD cl***=partlayout>RAYBESTOS Part # WC3396 Professional Grade Rear; 3100 Model</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD style="HEIGHT: 40px" cl***=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" id=node377part2price cl***="center leftrightborder boldfont priceonly alternate0">$46.99</TD><TD style="DISPLAY: none; VISIBILITY: hidden" id=node377part2altfiller cl***="center boldfont leftrightborder pricebreakdown alternate0"></TD><TR id=table377add2 cl***=part0><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; WHITE-SPACE: nowrap; PADDING-TOP: 5px" cl***="alternate0 center">Add Part </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; DISPLAY: none; VISIBILITY: hidden" cl***="alternate0 center"><INPUT id=node377part2alternate name=alternate type=checkbox></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Thats too much time out of my life. Pat
Thanks for the help.... now show me which one of those works for the rear? Oh wait.... That post was too much time out of my life.
I would think finding another used one would be as simple as eBay and some "ask seller a question" on guys selling parts for these things... usually that stuff is trash when the guy pulls a cab to put on some other frame.
I'm really a bit baffled by some of the comments on this thread. This entire forum is about rescuing old mechanical bits -- yet, there's a lot of people advocating that I throw away a wheel cylinder with a perfect lining that can be easily repaired. Isn't it some kind of cornerstone around here that you shouldn't throw away something that you can repair?
I have more $$ than time lately, so less them $50 for a new wheel cylinder is a steal. You do know brake parts are best replaced in pairs, what you do on the right, repeat on the left. I don't believe in cutting corners with brake parts. Find some other place on the project to save a few bucks. Bob
you said rear it says rear right in the description RAYBESTOS Part # WC3396 Professional Grade REAR; 3100 Model
What baffles me is that a person will ask for help. People invest the time and effort to post, right or wrong, what they believe will be helpful. Then, the guy who asked for help shows his appreciation by questioning the responses he doesn't like.
Yes, I asked for help TAPPING the bleeder screw. And numerous people offered that help. And numerous know-it-alls pointed me towards the wrong parts (or no parts at all.)
try chevs of the 40's part number 5450071 37-52 48 1 ton rear wheel cyl. w/14 inch drum. 1 3/8 bore $49.50 each
not that cheap , but it is the brakes were talking about. may help someone in the future. my time is worth something. 2 hours plus tap and new bleeder, only to watch it leak. starting to sound cheap.
What I would do is using chromium rod, weld a nut to the end of the broken bleeder screw. The heat from the welding breaks the rust and the nut allows you to put a wrench on it. Done this many times on studs and the like. You can do a search,check: Arctec Alloys
people are just trying to say that your time is worth somthing too. with experience you realize what is worth spending time on and what is not. i think we all enjoy rebuilding and reusing parts, within reason. i realize that you did not ask for us to find a replacement part for you, but people are just trying to help.
A little cheaper than $100, still Raybestos: http://www.autopartsnetwork.com/catalog/1948/Chevrolet/Truck/Brake/Drum_Brake_Wheel_Cylinder/Raybestos/WC9325/Rear.html?filter=part%20namerum+Brake+Wheel+Cylinder_make:Chevrolet_model:Truck_year:1948_
Thanks for this! Not sure if the photo is of the actual part so I emailed them.... The one that is shown is DEF not the right one. The Raybestos one linked to later is correct.
I appreciate the people that are truly trying to help. Time is worth money and me holding up my whole project waiting for a $100 wheel cylinder to come in via UPS is also no bueno.
Fixing the part correctly is going to take so e time too. If you are working against an important drop dead completion date that limits your options. Otherwise, car projects go a lot better when one avoids being anxious and impatient?
It is irritating that people offer as a suggestion to not attempt this or that. That somehow brakes are a magical and mysterious thing a person should hesitate to even work on. First of all on the hydraulic side of things you will know right away whether your repair was successful, if not there will be a leak. A sudden and catastrophic failure is unlikely! The repair kits that are linked to look like a good and cheap fix. I think the persons that are so afraid of brakes must not know much about mechanical things and probably pay someone else to do the work on their cars. I suggest to some of you, when someone asks how to do something, if you don't know how, stay out of it! ~Alden
I agree that there is nothing inherently mysterious or foreboding about brakes. But in fairness to the people you were commenting about, one needs to understand what they don't know. Path of least resistance aside, if a person doesn't feel competent to do a job it's probably best they learn more before tackling the job.
i think people were seriously trying to help. without knowing at first what the wheel cylinder was from it's hard to say if it was worth fixing or just get new. now that we know that it is an expensive part it's probably worth fixing. i have no problem with the bleeder screw repair kits mentioned , they seam like they should work just fine and be safe. i had no idea that they were available. i found new ones at Napa online for $129 , but i now see others have found the correct part online for cheaper. so it is a judgement call by the OP. i like new parts when it comes to brakes i honestly can't say when i last rebuilt a wheel cylinder , new ones for the common applications are so cheap that it's not hardly worth it
If the vehicle has a single-master system, I prefer to err on the side of safety when it comes to repairing parts vs buying something new. Also it takes some skill to accurately drill and tap for the bleeder repair kit. Doable on a drill press, maybe, maybe not. Bob
I agree. This is almost always the case. And I almost always replace wheel cylinders. In fact, the front ones on this truck are brand new because they were cheap and readily available. The lines are all new because that's just cheap insurance. The shoes are all relined. The master cylinder is new. The drums have been turned. I'm "thrifty" but I've spent the money where I think it's necessary on this project. Now, the rear wheel cylinders were in great shape still. The seals weren't rotten and the springs were still shiny. 2 minutes with a drill press and a cylinder hone and the cylinders looked brand new. I still installed rebuild kits in both sides. Literally, the only thing NOT new on the entire brake system is the 2 rear bleeder screws. Of course, those were the last things that I touched. And of course that's when the fit hit the shan. I'm going to try the repair kit. I don't see any reason why it won't work. And if it doesn't? I'm only out another hour at this point.
The repair that someone pictured looks like it takes neither skill or accuracy to use. You can probably drill all the way through the cylinder wall, tap the hole with the correct pipe tap , and screw in the repair part. A pretty basic set of shop skills is needed, but not machinist skills! The important machining is in the repair part, the user only has to provide a simple hole with tapered pipe threads! Of course if a person doesn't feel comfortable doing this repair, or any other, then they should get some help or take it to someone capable of the repair. ~Alden
It looks easier than retapping the bleeder hole a size larger, but I would actually have less confidence in the NPT insert repair. NPT seems very prone to leaks, and sometimes needs to be extremely tight to seal. Since these are brakes we are talking about, I would rather avoid drilling a big honking hole out of the cylinder and cranking the insert down to extreme torque. I would try the oversize drill and tap first. Then I might try the NPT insert repair. But I would probably just get a new cylinder at that point. While still a remote possibility, I don't think flaming death is a foregone conclusion here, either way. OP, I would advise you to take a hard look at the threads you have cut in the wheel cylinder. If the tip of the new bleeder ends up a bit off center, that's not really a dramatic safety issue. The worst that could happen is that it won't seal and you will weep brake fluid there. But if the drill reamed the hole out too far and the threads are not full depth, you could potentially pop the bleeder screw out under pressure. That could be dangerous because of the sudden change in vehicle handling. I would also try to make sure that the threads went deep enough to allow the tip of the bleeder to seat. If the threads don't go far enough, you might be tightening the bleeder against the last threads, not the bottom of the hole. It would weep in that case as well. If the threads look solid, I would run it as is and evaluate it. If it held up, then I would go with it. But that's just me.
Can you take it to a machine shop in your area? I bet it'd be done within 10 minutes if you bring a 6-pack of beer with ya.
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