replacing rear brake wheel cylinder

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pippo

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People,

Brake pedal went to the floor in driveway, so after inspection the rear wheel cylinder (one of them) is leaking badly. Time to replace BOTH. Fluid leak all over the place, blackish gunk all over. Washed it down. I noticed the cylinder is not the clip on style but held on with 2 "bolts". But the cylinder is held by 2 torx sockets. Anyone know the size?

Thanks, people.
 
Last edited:
pippo said:
People,

Brake pedal went to the floor in driveway, so after inspection the rear wheel cylinder (one of them) is leaking badly. Time to replace BOTH. Fluid leak all over the place, blackish gunk all over. Washed it down. I noticed the cylinder is not the clip on style but held on with 2 "bolts". But the cylinder is held by 2 torx sockets. Anyone know the size?

Thanks, people.
Click to expand...
If you have a caliper you can convert the distance point to point to the T number.
en.m.wikipedia.org

Torx - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org
 
Check the master cylinder, I bought 2 A bodies that use the same master cylinder and it seems, when the car sits for years without being used, the rubber in the master cylinder goes bad and the cylinder needs to be replaced. Even if a slave is leaking the pedal should not go all the way down, unless the master cylinder has gone bad.
 
Thanks, people. Now, Im taking apart all the springs, etc. removed the master cylinder with the torx socket - easy. But man, tyhat cylinder is wedged between the hub and backing plate- no way to get it out. How does one do that? haynes manual makes it sound so easy by saying "remove 2 bolts, then pull out the cylinder. yeah right.

I just cant see how to remove- it is so snug , wedged, no room, or space allowed. HELP!!!!
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Remove the bolts that hold the backing plate on, and see if it comes off, or moves enough for you to squeeze the cylinder out.
sometimes you can get a clamp and push the cylinder all the way in and take the pads out and get a lot more room that way.
 
While I have never replaced rear wheel drum brake cylinders on a FWD Sunbird, all the other models I have done you have to removed the brake Line, the 2 bolts that hold the cylinder to the backing plate or axle. You usually have to remove all the linkage and the brake shoes also. I would suggest replacing shoes as once they are contaminated with brake fluid they will not operate correctly.
If the wheel cylinder does not just pop off when you remove the 2 bolts and the brake line (and the shoes and attaching hardware. Then it needs to be persuaded to come off, I usually use a dead blow rubber mallet, but have on occasion had to use a real hammer and a punch to remove them from behind.

This video while not of the same model car as yours should apply, good luck!

 
Comes right out, you may have buy a set of torx sockets from Harbor Freight or the Auto Parts store, I had some already from a previous SIO or VW job..

Doug in P.R. 😎
 
Thanks, people, but it did not pop out without loosening the 4 bolts of the hub, just a few mm did it. Even with the bleed screw out the cylinder did not have the clearence. Funny, the official 2000 page "phone book" shop manual never mentioned it.

Anyway, that was the least of my problem as now I cannot push on the 2 retainer springs that hold down the 2 shoes. Impossible. I even matched each component to the original rusted out springs, pin, and caps. Tried with needle nose, pushed all the way down hard, and the slotted cap will not turn to lock onto the pin from behind. Done this before but never remember this impossible chore. Im thinking parts are not to the tight tolerances of factory. tempted to return, and buy from another supplier. Sheeeeesh!
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You may need to purchase the tool used to compress the springs, I used to do it with needle nose pliers when I was young, but even the cheap tool like this makes it much easier to accomplish the job.

 
Turned out a special tool was useless, gonna return it. Screwdriver, at the right angle, did the trick. BUT, maybe a tip for future sunbird owners (3 or 4 of them left in the US??), you must loosen the 4 hub bolts to remove the cylinder, even with the bleed screw removed. How dumb. My shop manual doesnt even mention it.

Anyway, thanks for the support, people.
 
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