Leaking rear brake cylinder - likely cost?

[mikejr]

Hi all,

Well, should have expected it really. Just finished servicing it, the MOT's due in just over a week and I was going to drive it back to Uni' tomorrow with all my stuff. Joy. :y:

So the next thing to make my life more interesting is a leaking brake. Probably thanks to the tyre needing replacing is the reason I noticed it. The warning on the dash flickered on and off a little the other day too. Hadn't seen that before, but never thought too much and just topped it up. :oops: But with the tyre that needed replacing there was fluid sitting in the wheel and it appears to be coming from the flange on the bottom of the drum on the rear right wheel. The fluid appears to be on the outside of the flange as well and around half the circumference of the drum. :panic:

So my questions are:
Is it a faulty cylinder or a connection in to it, or something else?
Will the shoes be contaminated?
Rough cost for parts?
Rough cost for labour only?
Know it's unlikely, but somewhere that will be able to do it on the day of request, i.e. tomorrow, like Kwik Fit or Formula 1?
Anyone in W.Suffolk/E.Cambs area recommend a cheap and quick place for brakes?
Would you recommend driving 60+ miles on motorways with a faulty leaking rear brake? :ponder:

I'd probably do it myself but just don't have the time, and, well, i'm not exactly the expert and brakes need someone pretty proficient who knows what they're doing.

Apologies for the blabbering but can't deny I'm more than a little annoyed! :wall:

Cheers in advance all.

Regards

[stevo67]

Certainly wouldn`t drive it very far,& likely to be the rear wheel cylinder leaking but you won`t know until you`ve stripped it down mate.

[welshpug]

Is it a faulty cylinder or a connection in to it, or something else? wheel cylinder piston seals gone.

Will the shoes be contaminated? yes.

Rough cost for parts? £6-10, more if shoes cannot be salvaged, Circa £25-30.

Rough cost for labour only? no idea, depends on labour charges in your area.

Know it's unlikely, but somewhere that will be able to do it on the day of request, i.e. tomorrow, like Kwik Fit or Formula 1? unlikely, you will need a new part, unless you find a part on the shelf at a local motorfactor, fairly common part.

Would you recommend driving 60+ miles on motorways with a faulty leaking rear brake? :ponder: NO, MOST CERTAINLY NOT




there you go.

[f13sta]

take it to a garage the rear brakes on these are a piece of piss to change, shoes and wheel cylinders are normally kept in stock.

£100 should see the job done at a garage probs with some change in your pocket as well.

[desire1]

Got mine done on my desire about 3 months ago all in at £40 parts and labour
Europarts and my brothers mate done it for me.

[Chris_]

Had the same problem the last 2 weeks.

Leaking brake cylinder in the drum. Yes you can still drive it just keep the brake fluid topped up. It is a time consuming job, involves taking the wheel off, hub nut off then taking the drum off. My bolt rounded (ended up snapping the rear brake line) so off the to scrap yard tomorrow to try hunt one down.

I've just changed mine myself yesterday ironicly, part cost me £15 off ebay with delivery. If you take it to a garage you are easily looking at £80+? including labour.

[mlawlan69]

not sure if its related or anything, but my rear drums "locked" on last night, had to reverse to bust them off and then drive 5 miles home almost brakeless.

went to the garage this morning and £140 lighter i now have two new shoes and a brake cylinder.

apparently mine were on the wrong way around and this is why it all went pete tong!!

feels great to have decent brakes again, past year i was just under the influence saxo brakes were complete dog shite !!!

[mikejr]

Wow, thanks for the replies guys.

there you go.

Cheers, welshpug, I know the last question sounds a bit stupid lol, but surely if I had a reserve of brake fluid and kept topping up it might be alright?... unless the cylinder bursts... :ponder:

Had the same problem the last 2 weeks.

Leaking brake cylinder in the drum. Yes you can still drive it just keep the brake fluid topped up. It is a time consuming job, involves taking the wheel off, hub nut off then taking the drum off. My bolt rounded (ended up snapping the rear brake line) so off the to scrap yard tomorrow to try hunt one down.

I've just changed mine myself yesterday ironicly, part cost me £15 off ebay with delivery. If you take it to a garage you are easily looking at £80+? including labour.

That doesn't sound too bad to me! Well, I'll ring round tomorrow (even if it is a Sunday), and hoping I'll have it sorted by Tuesday latest. :wacko:

Couldn't be more of a massive pain in the a*se though! :n: