Amy Wade Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Hi peeps, I'm in need of a new brake master cylinder & so far I've received 2 different ones which are both wrong, the car has single circuit brakes. So far I've had one which I bought at Stoneleigh earlier this year, the reservoir on that one is too big a diameter & fouls the wiper mechanism. The second one I purchased clears the wiper mechanism but is too tall. Does anyone know what master cylinder I need to order? I can't find one identical to the original. 😒 First photo is the old one, second shows the height issue of the second one & third one shows the problem with clearance with the wipers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshire_spam Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 A slight tangent... are the clutch and brake master brackets the right way round? They aren't the same, if I remember rightly mine were the wrong way when I got the car meaning the clutch one was low and the brake one too high.... I found an old blog post about it: https://yorkshire-spitfire.blogspot.com/2013/08/mixed-up-things.html Might be different on the MK3 though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Wade Posted October 13, 2023 Author Share Posted October 13, 2023 14 minutes ago, yorkshire_spam said: A slight tangent... are the clutch and brake master brackets the right way round? They aren't the same, if I remember rightly mine were the wrong way when I got the car meaning the clutch one was low and the brake one too high.... I found an old blog post about it: https://yorkshire-spitfire.blogspot.com/2013/08/mixed-up-things.html Might be different on the MK3 though? They're the same as in the photo in the link you posted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Not the answer you are looking for but it's not too taxing to clean up and rebuild the original master cylinders. Hardest part is ejecting the piston assembly from the bore - I managed to force mine out using air pressure from a foot-pump. New rubber seals and aluminium lids are available 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Wade Posted October 13, 2023 Author Share Posted October 13, 2023 27 minutes ago, PeteStupps said: Not the answer you are looking for but it's not too taxing to clean up and rebuild the original master cylinders. Hardest part is ejecting the piston assembly from the bore - I managed to force mine out using air pressure from a foot-pump. New rubber seals and aluminium lids are available Unfortunately my original is long gone, the bore would never have been able to seal due to heavy pitting and scoring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 check part GMC224 at Rimmers - two versions, expensive and very expensive, but correct.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Wade Posted October 13, 2023 Author Share Posted October 13, 2023 39 minutes ago, glang said: check part GMC224 at Rimmers - two versions, expensive and very expensive, but correct.... That's the same as the one I bought at Stoneleigh, the reservoir diameter is too big, the wiper mechanism passes through the bulkhead directly behind the brake master cylinder on a Mk3, it would be fine on a Mk4/ early 1500 where the wiper mechanism passes through the bulkhead to the right of the master cylinder. 🫥 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Looks like you need an original from Rimmers then at 114 pounds shown below! The only alternative is a cheapy 5/8 master cylinder available on eBay but the reservoir is clutch size so quite a bit smaller... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Dawes Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Hi Amy try Fitchetts in Telford they will post and have massive stocks. Tony and Andy are really helpful the phone number is 01952 619585 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Something is niggling away in my brain about master cylinder brackets and angles, and maybe being different between some models. (the brake one always has a reinforcing bar AFAIK) Of course, you could get your original cylinder resleeved in stainless, but not a cheap option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Wade Posted October 13, 2023 Author Share Posted October 13, 2023 1 hour ago, glang said: Looks like you need an original from Rimmers then at 114 pounds shown below! The only alternative is a cheapy 5/8 master cylinder available on eBay but the reservoir is clutch size so quite a bit smaller... Ouch, that's more expensive than the dual circuit ones (which definitely won't fit) I'll do as Wendy suggested and try Flitcetts in the morning, if they can't help (and beat the price) it looks like Rimmers will be getting an order. Thank you for the help 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Yes all the original type integral big reservoir m/c are rare with the Vitesse 0.7" difficult to find and the last GT6 0.75" like gold dust... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 4 minutes ago, glang said: Yes all the original type integral big reservoir m/c are rare with the Vitesse 0.7" difficult to find and the last GT6 0.75" like gold dust... So I should hang on to my 0.75 cylinder. Been in a cupboard since I took it off my Vitesse, it did 10 years on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Well I meant new but even a used 0.75, if good, is worth money. Id like one on my Vitesse but was too tight so went for a Land Rover repro unit for 15quid which does the job well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Dawes Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 Just having a look with Darren, it’s the same as the Herald on the Mk3 spitfire, as it’s a single line system Fitchetts will definitely have one, some ebay suppliers are good ie chic Doug (948s) and ANG classic x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 They dont list any original style m/c but then their website has always been pretty limited.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Wade Posted October 15, 2023 Author Share Posted October 15, 2023 I have now ordered the rather expensive but correct master cylinder from Rimmers. https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GMC224ORIG Thank you everyone for your help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 There some on eBay as the same item was used on sporty Ford classics and they make Rimmers price look a bargain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Dawes Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 On 14/10/2023 at 08:27, glang said: They dont list any original style m/c but then their website has always been pretty limited.... I know They don’t list everything on the website, but usually have stock of most things if you phone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 On 13/10/2023 at 18:34, glang said: but the reservoir is clutch size so quite a bit smaller... Have a suspicion that that exactly what would have been there from the factory. Two identical 5/8” master cylinders with the small, extra angled reservoirs. No real downside so long as you check the fluid levels regularly. Used to be possible to get plastic screw-on extensions to gain a bit of capacity but possibly too tall in this case. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drofgum Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 16 hours ago, Nick Jones said: Have a suspicion that that exactly what would have been there from the factory. Two identical 5/8” master cylinders with the small, extra angled reservoirs. No real downside so long as you check the fluid levels regularly. Used to be possible to get plastic screw-on extensions to gain a bit of capacity but possibly too tall in this case. Nick, No, they weren't the same. Triumph changed the brake master cylinder for the Mk3 Spitfire to one with a larger reservoir at a right angle to the bore. The one Glang posted a pic of looks right. Even the Mk1&2 had different master cylinders for brake and clutch. The reservoir on the brake cylinder was about 12mm taller. Regards, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 Yes even I got a bit twitchy using the small reservoir clutch mc for the brakes on my vitesse and now have an extender attached for more fluid capacity (and visibility).... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Wade Posted October 16, 2023 Author Share Posted October 16, 2023 6 hours ago, drofgum said: Nick, No, they weren't the same. Triumph changed the brake master cylinder for the Mk3 Spitfire to one with a larger reservoir at a right angle to the bore. The one Glang posted a pic of looks right. Even the Mk1&2 had different master cylinders for brake and clutch. The reservoir on the brake cylinder was about 12mm taller. Regards, Paul As I'm only the third owner & the previous owner seemed to be averse to changing parts, I have no reason to believe mine originally had anything other than the one Glang posted. I was toying with the idea of a clutch master cylinder but decided against it, I don't think a weeping wheel cylinder would take long to empty the small reservoir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Wade Posted October 17, 2023 Author Share Posted October 17, 2023 It fits... almost. I'll have to shorten the pushrod & that'll be me with a brake master cylinder 😊 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Wade Posted October 17, 2023 Author Share Posted October 17, 2023 That's better 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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