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Re: Clutch master bummer

To: modtiger@engravers.com (Tom Hall)
Subject: Re: Clutch master bummer
From: Roland Dudley <cobra@cdc.hp.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 98 8:10:34 PST
> 
> At 10:16 AM 2/9/98 -0600, you wrote:
> >I rebuilt the clutch master cylinder with a kit I obtained from Sunbeam
> >Specialties, but it didn't work.  The new seal is smaller in diameter than
> >the old one, and it fits loosely inside the cylinder, hence the problem.  I
> >suspect the PO rebuilt the master, honing it and using an oversized seal. 
> >Is this reasonable?  Anybody have a similar experience?  Any chance I just
> >got the wrong kit?  I guess I'm down to replacing the master as my only
> >reasonable option.
> 
> 
> Don't forget that the rubber in the kit will swell when exposed to Glycol
> based brake fluids.  If it seems too loose, soak it in fluid for a few
> minutes,  Don't just dunk it and forget it, or it may be way too large.  In
> its installed condition, the swelling is somewhat controlled by the
> geometry.  
> 
> Tom Hall

I agree with Tom that brake fluid will swell the seals, but they really
should be a relatively snug fit dry.  The clutch MC on my snake is
aluminum and if that's the case for Tigers and someone used a standard
brake cylinder hone on the bore, it's probably toast.  These hones
remove a lot of aluminum fast.  I've also heard very mixed reviews on
rebuilding results for aluminum MCs.  As often as not, they don't seem
to last long.  For this reason I just replaced mine rather than try to
rebuild it.  Mine would have had to have been re-sleeved because of
severe pitting and with the cost of a re-sleeve and a rebuild kit
combined, it was cheaper to buy a new one.  I don't know what the cost
is for a Tiger clutch MC, but it might be worth shopping around.  Unlike
a lot of car specific brake MC, single bore clutch MCs were often used
on a wide variety of cars and sometimes even by custom and race car
builders.  Get the part number off the MC and check some of the generic
suppliers.  I found two new Girling single brake and one single clutch
MC for my snake for $60 each about 8 years ago from a local race car
supply shop.  This was about 1/4 the cost the dedicated Cobra parts
suppliers were charging at the time.  I think the shop was trying to
unload these obscure parts from its shelf, but I'm willing to bet I
could have still gotten a better deal by shopping around than from Cobra
Restorers or the like.

Roland

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