Wheel cylinder honing

[Gridgway]

So in my 80s BDR resto, I am doing the brakes.  Done the front.   One of the rears is leaking after 13 years of not being used.  I have bought some replacement wheel cylinders, but they are generic copies.  I'm looking at the Girling originals and wanting to re-use them - I love originality.   They have a round slightly corroded area where they have stood for umpteen years.

Does anyone have experience of honing them?  Does it generally work or should I just replace them with the copies?

[7 wonders of the world]

if they are badly pitted in the working area you will end up honing them beyond a safe diameter, if you only lightly hone them,  even with new seals they are still going to be marginal in terms of service and performance - which could lead to you damaging your BDR, or worse.

Maybe worth Googling girling dealers or finding the OEM part number for them in order to find genuine units.

[rkeywood]

Try speaking with PowerTrack. 

Robert

[Gridgway]

Super thanks Robert, hadn't come across them before.  I wonder where they get their stock from?  I assume they must manufacture.  I'll ask

[Gridgway]

Just spoken to Powertrack and I'm going to attempt to refurb.  Having looked at the cylindered they aren't corroded.  The one that leaks has got some of the rubber of the seal attached to it (which apparently is what happens).  Should be clean up-able.  There aren't any original Girling ones left.  Powertrack has some Italian sourced copies if all else fails (rather than use Chinese ones from ebay).

Really nice guy at powertrack - great recommendation.

[Roger King]

I successfully honed the leaking wheel cylinders from my Austin Healey around 40 years ago. I used a flexhone for the job and with a new set of seals they worked perfectly. As others have said it all depends on there being no pitting.

Mind you, it worked for me, but I've no idea if it's recommended practice; I only build engines.

[Wrightpayne]

Have you looked at using citric acid to de-rust the outside. From what I’ve read it will not harm non rusted areas.

Available as a cleaning product.

[Gridgway]

Thanks, that's another good thing to try.  I think it's having a really good look at the inside of the worst of the two which is the one that's leaking.  I'm pretty sure it's detritus from the seal rather than alloy corrosion.

[jbcollier]

Generally speaking, you shouldn't hone aluminium bores.  It can be done, it might work but the price of new replacements are such that new is the way to go.  If you want to save your originals, get them sleeved.

[Gridgway]

I think where I am now it's more cleaning than honing.  I thought they were worse than they are.  If I have any doubts I'll fit new ones.