Just got involved in my brakes....didn't want to but the right rear was dragging. So here I go ,off with drums and much to my amazement I discovered that this old girl has the original wheel cylinders back there!! I really couldn't believe my eyes so I wire brushed them and they say Delco Made In Canada on them. I just love that. However, even if I restore them I need a brake job now so I set to ordering shoes and cyls including the master which was also original and needed replacement. No upgrades...just stock. So I went to Rock Auto for the parts. First I bought Centric cylinders but they landed and I was not happy with the quality. I ordered what I thought was their better stuff but I got the cheaper ones for some reason (they are for sale) . Next I tried to order AC Delco ones but no listing for a right rear and big delays/no stock in sight for fronts. Next...lol... Raybestos right and left rears and right and left for the front. Then midway through all this I became aware that the rear cylinders are in fact both the same part! So I check my Raybestos ones and yup only one is correct. I have no idea what the other one is actually for...it has to do with where the cylinder receives the line.. fore or aft. So going back to RockAuto I got 2 AC Delco Left rears which is in fact correct!
Next....lol...I've got all these wheel cylinders all over the place now so I set about determining what the differences actually are . The higher quality Centric, Raybestos and AC Delco rear wheel cylinders are exactly identical save for one detail. This pistons in the Raybestos ones are a more refined finish otherwise exactly the same parts right down to numbers in the rubbers and seats for the line and bleeders. All different prices and made in China! More schooling I didn't really need ... or...lol..
Hi Carl, yes in recent times the Chinese manufacturing has improved greatly imo. We sell a lot of hardware of every description including hydraulics and logging associated stuff. The vast majority is off shore and mainly Chinese. Some customers still insist on "in country" creations but that's just not the case any longer. I remember when bad things were said of Japanese, Korean and Mexican amongst others. Where I take exception is with multiple companies selling parts from the exact same manufacturing source and touting them as this quality or that quality. I guess it's free enterprise at work but it would seem to me somewhat misleading..at least in this overworked brain. The best part of this story for me is those great stamped originals that certainly can be honed and pressed back into service.. not right now but I definitely won't trash em. Also that the 1963 rears are the same for both sides...Brake line out to the front rear right and out to the rear when swapped left. A review by an unhappy customer on an online website led me to double check this detail. Glad I did.
