Well it's service time for my car

But I'm going to get the rear wheel bearings changed, brake pipes and the brake shoes.

There's nothing wrong with the rear wheel cylinders but should I get them changed too as there's a fair bit of work on the rear of the car anyway or leave them?

£13 per side for the wheel cylinders

For that, I'd change them.

I agree.

I meant that's how much the part is.

Yes. Recently had one of mine let go. For the potential future hassle it will stop I would definitely have them changed. AFAIK what's supposed to happen is as your shoes wear out the cylinders slide over the area further out leaving some surfaces prone to corrosion. Put in new shoes, and the cylinders start sliding over those areas again which wears the seals and then they start leaking. Assuming the retaining bolts come off easy (mine were seized and I decided to replace the backplates rather than spend the time drilling them out etc) - with the shoes out and the brake pipe off it's a minutes work to swap them over anyway.

Edited 11 September, 200817 yr by anewman

IF i was you and i was disturbing all that gubbins then yes i would change them too. Really it makes sense.

yeah, seems logical, you might as well change the drums and shoes while you are at it too

Thanks guys I'll get the rear cylinders ordered up too then.

I'd say there's no specific reason for changing wheel cylinders that aren't leaking, since I know people in their 70s who've never needed one changed. Still, if the shoes are out and pipes off anyway, for £26 you know the new ones will probably last as long as...

I suppose I could leave it as they seem fine.

I know what leaky cylinders can do though as on my Astra I had to keep topping the brake fluid up until one day someone used the car and it didnt stop........

Luckily it didnt hit anyone or anything though.

Te reason for that failure? one of the rear cylinders was leaking and it needed cleaning up, a new cylinder and brake shoes.

So I guess i answered my own question. change them now.

I've seen quite a few 93 on Favorits and Felicia's with siezed wheel cylinders....they don't always leak.

So I guess i answered my own question. change them now.

Yep. The parts are cheap, labour won't be much, and you'll have peace of mind they won't leak over the shoes.

Well I had the car serviced today, had the rear wheel bearings tightened and the brake pipes copper-greased again.

Now I have wheel cylinders, brake shoes, brake pads, a roll of brake pipe and rear bearings as spare parts in my garage. If this keeps up I might have enough parts to build another car.