TheSamba.com :: View topic - Opinions on aftermarket brake master cylinder brands

Fri Aug 07, 2015 4:44 am

German master cylinders (my preference) are a bit too expensive for me right now so I'm looking at aftermarket ones. But there are a lot of choices and I'm not familiar with the different brands (IAP, Raybestos, TRW, Cardone, Vargas, etc...),

Could I have some opinions about which brands are better, and which ones are really low quality.

Fri Aug 07, 2015 4:55 am

TRW or VARGA are what I most commonly get these days. no issues with either on my daily drivers.

Fri Aug 07, 2015 6:29 am

Save money someplace else . This is the one item that can really mess up the WHOLE CAR when the cheap one breaks.....
.And a real pain to replace.....
.Get the good one from Wolfsburg West and do it right the first time .

Fri Aug 07, 2015 6:40 am

I agree that VARGA ( brazil) quality and price is very good from my experience over the years.

Fri Aug 07, 2015 6:52 am

grandpa pete wrote: Save money someplace else . This is the one item that can really mess up the WHOLE CAR when the cheap one breaks.....
.And a real pain to replace.....
.Get the good one from Wolfsburg West and do it right the first time .

I am agreeing with this. My general rule of thumb is NOT to scrimp on parts. And even more so when the R&R is involved; for example, let's just say a VW master cylinder or generator R&R is more involved than a coil or distributor R&R !!!

Since I do my own work, I DO NOT SCRIMP ON THE LABOR, I DO IT RIGHT. That combination has worked for me. BOTH are important.

Fri Aug 07, 2015 7:04 am

Well the Autozone one lasted me 3 days and the second one last a few hours. Not sure what brand. The german one has lasted 6 yrs so far. Spend the dollars and don't look back.

Fri Aug 07, 2015 7:29 am

First... Advice..
#1 if your car is a single circuit convert to dual circuit.

Now brand..

I've used them all.... all can have a bad one right out of the box.. even the "German" ones..

TRW, Varga, Beck Arnley, etc.... have been in use on my cars over the years.

I have learned to eliminate the "bad out of the box" issue ..

VOLKSWAGNUT wrote: Lot of us have been down this road... with no brakes or inferior parts.

One thing I've had to start doing over the years... clean "New" master and wheel cylinders BEFORE installation.
I know that sounds "Nutty" :wink:

I buy most parts locally. Easy to find, no shipping, and has a warranty. Yes some of the quality is low...
For brake parts I try to buy Napa, Beck Arnley, or TRW when I can but sometimes.... cheap out.
Somewhere in the ....inexpensive (and expensive) brand brake manufacturing process, 2 things are lacking. 1 bore surface and 2 bore cleanliness.

When I disassemble new units I have found semi rough honed bores along with a gritty feeling. Occasionally rust..
Clean, lightly re hone, clean everything, assemble and lube with quality brake fluid. THAT"S IMPORTANT. Not all brake fluids are considered equal. Buy good name brand fluid.. I usually use GM brake fluid ... but recently tried some Kia fluid that had completely different smell and texture.. Almost oil like and yet still 100% DOT 3. Needless to say it lubed up the cylinders and cups very well. Castrol LMA brake fluid has proven to be good fluid as well.

After I started my pre cleaning 15-20 years ago.. I've yet to have an issue with new cylinders, failures and the inability to simply bleed.... . Before that.. I wasted lots of gas getting bad new parts swapped out..

FLUSH BRAKE FLUID EVERY 2 YEARS... Period..

.

Fri Aug 07, 2015 3:04 pm

If you're disassembling the hydraulic part to check and clean it, why not just install a new seal kit? If your original is German, and not pitted inside, then theoretically a quick hone and a German kit would make it good as new.

I've also been looking for kits but they're not that easy to find. And the local VW auto parts store (E&C Auto Parts, Reseda Calif) has a disconnected telephone so maybe is out of business.

Fri Aug 07, 2015 3:17 pm

jbclem wrote: If you're disassembling the hydraulic part to check and clean it, why not just install a new seal kit?
I've also been looking for kits but they're not that easy to find..

Quite simply.... You've answered your own question....

A 67 up dual master cylinder is available at most parts houses.. or at least available overnight....(even singles)

Most original cylinders have pits by now..
Honing pits out enlarges the bore.. the cups wont seal .. and ..now... is useless and you've wasted money and time that could have been used elsewhere..

In addition.. if its a conversion.. from single to dual.. the available snap in master mounted reservoir does not fit the German master...but fits the aftermarket..

But yeah... if you can find a kit that fits a "German" master.. and your bore is good.. then that's ideal..

I'd rather be rollin' than woppin'..

(Waiting On Parts)

.

Mon Aug 10, 2015 3:15 am

Good points...I'm planning on replacing the master cylinder but also rebuilding the old one if the pits are minor, and keeping it as a spare.

Any opinions on Raybestos master cylinders. What caught my eye was their warranty (36,000 miles or 3 years) and the mention of how smooth the cylinder bores were finished. I don't know if this is true, but at least they're bragging about it.

Mon Aug 10, 2015 7:12 am

I thought I read before about guys using early 80's rabbit GTI master cylinders and resivours too.

Mon Aug 10, 2015 8:42 am

RLFD213 wrote: I thought I read before about guys using early 80's rabbit GTI master cylinders and resivours too.

Rabbit and certain Volvo "snap in" Reservoirs fit original GERMAN dual circuit Beetle Master cylinders.

.

Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:32 pm

Last time I needed a brake master cylinder for my 1971 Super, I wasn't able to find a hone small enough to do my old MC; that was at least 25 years ago, before I had any compute or Internet, maybe easier to find one now.

Anyway: so what MC did I install then and using in my 1971 that's lasted all these years? Actually, I'm using a $20 rebuilt MC from Autozone, lifetime warranty !!! Just the facts.

Mon Aug 10, 2015 2:40 pm

VOLKSWAGNUT wrote: RLFD213 wrote: I thought I read before about guys using early 80's rabbit GTI master cylinders and resivours too.

Rabbit and certain Volvo "snap in" Reservoirs fit original GERMAN dual circuit Beetle Master cylinders.
I ran a German master with the Rabbit reservoir for a number of years (and a '66 Bus cap to get a strainer and cap without a float.) I remember having to buy a rebuild kit for something else to get the right rubber fittings for the top of the master cylinder. The stock ones used on duel circuit brakes had to large of an inside diameter.