Ugh, clutch slave again.

[great white]

My clutch slave dumped it's guts a while ago.

Tore it down, seals looked reasonably sound but the bore and piston looked pretty pitted.

Cleaned it all up and put it back together. Went just over a week with no leaks.

Today, when fitting he slave back on the cover (after repainting the cover) I noticed a drop of fluid on my finger.

Yup, leaking a gain.



So now I'm trying to decide between trying new seals and another round of scotchbrite or just replacing the slave.

Big price difference between each option.....

[red]

My clutch slave dumped it's guts a while ago.  Tore it down, seals looked reasonably sound but the bore and piston looked pretty pitted. Yup, leaking a gain. So now I'm trying to decide between trying new seals and another round of scotchbrite or just replacing the slave.  Big price difference between each option.....

great white,

US$145.00 from RPM . . . vs. your time and trouble, plus brake fluid damages both paint AND plastics, if ignored.  To me, it would be all new stuff there, no contest.

FYI, brake fluid can absorb moisture, which causes that pitting (rust) which you found.  Flush and bleed the hydraulics on a regular basis, and more frequently in high humidity places, to avoid most metal damage like that.  Fresh fluids are a real safety issue on the brakes, because the moisture can boil out and lock a brake caliper/disk in flight.

[FJmonkey]

The original lasted 20-30 years, why mess with another failure? Get a new one and spend more time riding it.

[T Legg]

When you rebuild or replace your slave cylinder switch to dot 5 fluid and save yourself from future paint damage.

[Pat Conlon]

SS Sleeve your slave : http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=12294.0

[CutterBill]

When you rebuild or replace your slave cylinder switch to dot 5 fluid and save yourself from future paint damage.

This. ^

[great white]

SS Sleeve your slave : http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=12294.0

Now thats a good idea!

Might be my next lathe project...

[great white]

My clutch slave dumped it's guts a while ago.  Tore it down, seals looked reasonably sound but the bore and piston looked pretty pitted. Yup, leaking a gain. So now I'm trying to decide between trying new seals and another round of scotchbrite or just replacing the slave.  Big price difference between each option.....

great white,

US$145.00 from RPM . . . vs. your time and trouble, plus brake fluid damages both paint AND plastics, if ignored.  To me, it would be all new stuff there, no contest.

FYI, brake fluid can absorb moisture, which causes that pitting (rust) which you found.  Flush and bleed the hydraulics on a regular basis, and more frequently in high humidity places, to avoid most metal damage like that.  Fresh fluids are a real safety issue on the brakes, because the moisture can boil out and lock a brake caliper/disk in flight.

. That's over 200 after shipping, exchange, duties and taxes....

[ribbert]

SS Sleeve your slave : http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=12294.0

Now thats a good idea!

Might be my next lathe project...

If you are equipped to do it yourself, as you appear to be, it's a great idea. Once a common practice done by all brake shops, when labour was cheaper than parts, it is a service they no longer provide, making it a machine shop job. I enquired recently for some parts that are no longer available.

The FJ slaves seem good for one hone /new seal and that's it. They will start to leak if left unused or when the fluid gets old or both. Mine has been brought back to life many times with new fluid and regular use, it is the original with 220k on it and has had one replacement seal, however I think it's time has come. Exchange rate and freight really knock us around down here, I doubt there'd be much change out of $250 so I'll be getting a price to line it before buying a new one.

Noel

[ribbert]

When you rebuild or replace your slave cylinder switch to dot 5 fluid and save yourself from future paint damage.

How many times do you plan on it leaking? 

This should be a once in the life of the bike job.

Noel

[ribbert]

SS Sleeve your slave : http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=12294.0

Now thats a good idea!

Might be my next lathe project...

If you are equipped to do it yourself, as you appear to be, it's a great idea. Once a common practice done by all brake shops, when labour was cheaper than parts, it is a service they no longer provide, making it a machine shop job. I enquired recently for some parts that are no longer available.

Noel

While I've been busy doing nothing about my own clutch slave (I removed the belly pan until I fix it and regular use seems to stop it leaking anyway) I removed the master cylinder of a "P" Type MG and returned it to the owner. As it turns out, it was so he could send it away to have a SS liner put in it - $400!!
I suspect there is an element of "specialised" service charge for old cars, in other words, ripping him off because it's a vintage car and therefore expensive to work on. However, it does suggest it's not a commonplace procedure anymore.

When drum brakes and cast iron wheel cylinders were the norm this used to be common practice.

I'll still get a price on getting the FJ slave done from a machine shop, I just won't mention it's rare, old or expensive to replace.

Noel

[Bones]

I bought a brand new slave from Yamaha last year for $210.00, a bit pricy I thought at the time but then thinking if it lasts for 20yrs I'll never have to worry about it again in my riding lifetime. I had a SS liner put in my 4x4 clutch master about 15 yrs ago but it's now leaking fluid down the firewall, but a brand new brake master bought at the same time is still going strong.

[RPM - Robert]

I bought a brand new slave from Yamaha last year for $210.00, a bit pricy I thought at the time but then thinking if it lasts for 20yrs I'll never have to worry about it again in my riding lifetime.

Keep in mind, RPM has brand new slave cylinders for significantly less than that: Slave Cylinder

We use the same mentality when talking about the petcock as an investment of the life of the bike. The cost amortized over all the years of service makes the annual cost much more palatable.

[Pat Conlon]

Keep in mind, RPM has brand new slave cylinders for significantly less than that:

Robert, keep in mind Bonesy's AU dollars  i.e $210 AU = $148.50 USD

[RPM - Robert]

Keep in mind, RPM has brand new slave cylinders for significantly less than that:

Robert, keep in mind Bonesy's AU dollars  i.e $210 AU = $148.50 USD

Yep I should have done the conversion...