brake master cylinder : Spitfire & GT6 Forum : The Triumph Experience

brake master cylinder #1
Andy-Sherry Andy Martin Portland, OR, USA Sign in to contact	Topic Creator (OP) Mar 27, 2011 11:45 AM Top Contributor Joined 16 years ago 12,419 Posts

I was looking on e bay and there is a master cylinder thats for a 1975 to 1980 spitfire,what is the difference between
that and 1 for 1970-1974.Our two spitfires a 74 and a 77 the master cylinder on both look identical.Just had another look the 77 seems a bit smaller?
Regards Andy&Sherry

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Re: brake master cylinder #2
trzavie Al S. Vast, Midwest, USA Sign in to contact	Mar 27, 2011 11:50 AM Joined 15 years ago 1,410 Posts

I think the threads are different. The 74 has imperial and the 75 and beyond has metric.

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Re: brake master cylinder #3
hunttriumph1500 Stephen Hunt East Hampton, CT, USA Sign in to contact 1967 Triumph Spitfire MkIII "Oldest Spitfire Owned" 1968 Triumph GT6 MkI "First Triumph!" 1971 Triumph Spitfire MkIV "Parts Car" 1971 Triumph Spitfire MkIV "Junk Yard Dog" & more	Mar 28, 2011 09:55 AM Joined 16 years ago 1,460 Posts

The difference between brake master cylinders is:
70? -75 large cap dual reservoir North America/USA
76-80 small cap dual reservoir North America/USA
Most everywhere else had a single reservoir, in other words the reservoir served both the front and back brakes without a seperation divider inside.

The North America version had a wall inside the master cylinder so that if the front brakes leaked out the rear would still have fluid, that is why they also have the PDWA switch.

Quote:
"I think the threads are different. The 74 has imperial and the 75 and beyond has metric."
The threads were not different between my 1974 spit and my 1975 spit, they used the exact same Master Cylinder.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-03-28 10:31 AM by hunttriumph1500.

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Re: brake master cylinder #4
Mark Jones Close to Sarnia, ON, Canada Sign in to contact 1995 MG MGF 1996 Land Rover Discovery	Mar 28, 2011 10:11 AM Joined 26 years ago 4,001 Posts

It's reported that some late cars had metric fittings. My 1980 1500 brake system does not have metric fittings.

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Re: brake master cylinder #5
racer490 Jerry Bryant Palm Harbor, USA Sign in to contact 1980 Triumph Spitfire	Mar 28, 2011 12:17 PM Joined 16 years ago 2,366 Posts

Not sure about the threads but the nuts are standard not metric on my June 1980 Spit.

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Re: brake master cylinder #6
trzavie Al S. Vast, Midwest, USA Sign in to contact	Mar 28, 2011 12:31 PM Joined 15 years ago 1,410 Posts

Thanks Stephen and Mark, My bad.

I was looking at Rimmers site and apparently some but not all of the later
Master Cylinders had metric fittings. Maybe we should start a poll to find
out, so far none have metric. So I wonder, are the two styles interchangeable?
Can I take a master cylinder with a small cap and replace my large cap master
cylinder?

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Re: brake master cylinder #7
Mark Jones Close to Sarnia, ON, Canada Sign in to contact 1995 MG MGF 1996 Land Rover Discovery	Mar 28, 2011 12:40 PM Joined 26 years ago 4,001 Posts

Al,

It might be worth an email to Rimmer to ask what the difference is between the two brake m/c. Maybe the cylinder diameter changed?

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Re: brake master cylinder #8
hunttriumph1500 Stephen Hunt East Hampton, CT, USA Sign in to contact 1967 Triumph Spitfire MkIII "Oldest Spitfire Owned" 1968 Triumph GT6 MkI "First Triumph!" 1971 Triumph Spitfire MkIV "Parts Car" 1971 Triumph Spitfire MkIV "Junk Yard Dog" & more	Mar 28, 2011 12:40 PM Joined 16 years ago 1,460 Posts

In reply to a post by trzavie Thanks Stephen and Mark, My bad.

I was looking at Rimmers site and apparently some but not all of the later
Master Cylinders had metric fittings. Maybe we should start a poll to find
out, so far none have metric. So I wonder, are the two styles interchangeable?
Can I take a master cylinder with a small cap and replace my large cap master
cylinder?

I have, I put a small cap in place of a large cap, but while the fittings were the same I had to make a small modification to the bulkhead/firewall for the small cap as it's housing was like an extra 3/4" to 1" longer than the large cap style or something to that effect.

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Re: brake master cylinder #9
trzavie Al S. Vast, Midwest, USA Sign in to contact	Mar 28, 2011 12:47 PM Joined 15 years ago 1,410 Posts

Thanks guys, you are the best. So Stephen, is it the plastic housing that hits?

If so could I take a new small cap master cylinder, remove the plastic fluid
housing and put on my old large cap housing? Would there be a clearance issue
then?

Al

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Re: brake master cylinder #10
Mark Jones Close to Sarnia, ON, Canada Sign in to contact 1995 MG MGF 1996 Land Rover Discovery	Mar 28, 2011 01:04 PM Joined 26 years ago 4,001 Posts

According to Rimmer, the only difference are the fittings. The large cap m/c has Imperial fittings, while the small cap has Metric and Imperial fittings. I take it that the threads are the same, just the wrench needed changed.

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Re: brake master cylinder #11
hunttriumph1500 Stephen Hunt East Hampton, CT, USA Sign in to contact 1967 Triumph Spitfire MkIII "Oldest Spitfire Owned" 1968 Triumph GT6 MkI "First Triumph!" 1971 Triumph Spitfire MkIV "Parts Car" 1971 Triumph Spitfire MkIV "Junk Yard Dog" & more	Mar 28, 2011 01:12 PM Joined 16 years ago 1,460 Posts

Hey Al, no it was the metal part which the master clinder sits on, it is longer, Triumph made the bulkhead behind it with a deeper recess starting in the '76 year model spits.

PMC143_lg.jpg 18.6 KB

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Re: brake master cylinder #12
trzavie Al S. Vast, Midwest, USA Sign in to contact	Mar 28, 2011 01:54 PM Joined 15 years ago 1,410 Posts

Thanks for the info Stephen & Mark. Once again this forum rocks!

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Re: brake master cylinder #13
racer490 Jerry Bryant Palm Harbor, USA Sign in to contact 1980 Triumph Spitfire	Mar 28, 2011 05:44 PM Joined 16 years ago 2,366 Posts

I also read that the bracket angle was different

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Re: brake master cylinder #14
Andy-Sherry Andy Martin Portland, OR, USA Sign in to contact	Topic Creator (OP) Mar 28, 2011 06:56 PM Top Contributor Joined 16 years ago 12,419 Posts

Thanks everyone for the info
Andy&Sherry

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