TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri May 19, 2023 8:13 am

I have 3 master cylinders that came with my 71 bus
ATE, FAG, and Varga
The Varga was installed, but has been sitting since 2005
The guts on all of them are clean and shiny with no corrosion

Can you still get repair kits? is that still a thing?
or are people just lazy and get new master cylinders?

I bought a kit for my original T3 master cylinder back around 2010 and it's still doing it's job.

Fri May 19, 2023 8:31 am

the ones I have seen are old stock. Don't know if the rubber would be any good. VW stopped selling them in the 70's. Usually the master fails due to pitting so rebuilding it won't work unless you know someone with a sunnen hone who can hone out the pits and then use an over size kit.

Fri May 19, 2023 9:15 am

No pitting on any of the cylinder bores I have.

the last time I just went to the FLAPS and bought an FAG seal kit for the bore size of the T3 master cylinder. I had to reuse one of the original pistons and swap the seal over, but it worked just fine for $30

Fri May 19, 2023 12:24 pm

did you use a bore light to look in the bore for dark spots? If none and you can find a kit then go for it. I used to rebuild them all the time when they were good and kits were available. Labor costs today prohibit it but not to a DIY'r.

Fri May 19, 2023 1:18 pm

Is it in or out of the bus?
Maybe just do a bench-bleed on it and see how it does?

Two birds..

Fri May 19, 2023 2:10 pm

I have all 3 sitting on the bench right now, the Varga was in it and holding pressure, but I figured after sitting tucked in a garage since 2005 it wouldn't hurt to change the seals while I had everything apart under there.

You know how that goes....I made a clean spot, well now, that looks good I'll keep going..... Hmm I might as well paint that ...

Sat May 20, 2023 10:22 am

W1K1 wrote: <snip>

You know how that goes....I made a clean spot, well now, that looks good I'll keep going..... Hmm I might as well paint that ...

This makes me recall how working on the brakes made me replace my rear window.

Sat May 20, 2023 11:05 am

I just rebuilt a 69 MC with an OE rebuild kit ( came in a groovy plastic tube with some greasy preservative), worked perfect. My personal experience with NOS rebuild kits has been very good, much better than buying "new"

Sun May 21, 2023 3:49 pm

NOS kits depend on how they were stored. If they were stored outside in the dry heat they may not be any good.

Rebuild kits are sometimes available from the manufacturers of the current master cylinders. I've been able to special order them. Not many rebuild them though so you won't find them readily available. Most people just buy a new one.

Tue May 23, 2023 6:01 am

the other problem with just buying a new master cylinder i'm finding is, 71 is hard to find, unless you change master and reservoir to the later style, and then you lose your fill hose and upper reservoir 211611021A

Tue May 23, 2023 10:11 am

W1K1 wrote: the other problem with just buying a new master cylinder i'm finding is, 71 is hard to find, ...

Eh? '71-79 bus master cylinders are all the same, for US market busses with front disk brakes. Everyone has 'em.

Tue May 23, 2023 10:27 am

kreemoweet wrote: W1K1 wrote: the other problem with just buying a new master cylinder i'm finding is, 71 is hard to find, ...

Eh? '71-79 bus master cylinders are all the same, for US market busses with front disk brakes. Everyone has 'em.

Master Cylinder T2 68-79
Bus 1973-79 WITH brake booster. Will also fit 1968-72 with brake booster if you upgrade to the 1973-79 reservoir # 211611311K. Distance between reservoir spigots : 85mm.

the 71 has 100mm between spigots

Brake Fluid Reservoir T2 71-72

Bus 1971-72 with original design master cylinder. 100mm between nipples.
Part #: 211611313J

Wed May 24, 2023 11:10 am

W1K1 wrote: ... some incorrect info from some vendor I guess ...

The original ATE m/c on '71 US busses with servo front brakes had a reservoir nipple spacing of 85 mm, just like all the busses with power front brakes. My '71 bus had one when I got it in '95. I think there may have been non-US busses with drums all around, and also with front disks but no servo, with reservoir nipple spacing of 100 mm, like earlier busses. You cannot use the later -K version of the reservoir without replacing some stock '71 parts and altering the reservoir feed line. I can not imagine why anyone would want to do that.