there's a difference in the wheel cylinders on early 95 RS's from the rest? dammit.

today i was supposed to be replacing the shoes an cylinders on my rear drums. come to find out NOTHING fits. the shoes were checker's fault for giving me the wrong part. damn things weren't even close to fitting. but they cylinders are almost exactly the same except for the two mounting holes. on my stockers they're a little closer together than on the new ones.

went to exchange stuff at checkers an they told me the part for my particular car would hafta be custom ordered for $60+ each... they said something about early 95's were still using 94 parts. didn't really suprise me since there were a bunch've changes around then..

but yea anyways just in case this proves useful to anyone. maybe i'll take a pic of the two different cylinders later. i'm just gonna be using the new ones and dremeling the backplate a little so there'll be holes for the mounting bolts.

oh yea the bleeder screw was on the bottom instead of on top on the new cylinders too. but i'm pretty sure you can interchange the brake line and bleeder screw so it doesn't really matter.

-marc

Good info. You can get rear disc brakes for cheaper than those shoes cost.

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

shoes were only like $20
i think the cylinders were close to $30ish (each)

no junkyards here. and shipping would suck.
plus drums are lighter and respond a little better for e-brake fun

-marc

ok here's a shitty pic of the cylinders for anyone who cares

stockers on the left, new one on the right:


notice the distance between the mounting holes (located in the center of the pic where the two cylinders are resting against each other). they are farter apart on the new one than on the stock one.
also note the position of the bleeder screw.

-marc

ok guess what it doesn't work. the pistons don't extend/retract the corect distance. and the distance between the pistons and the backing plate of the drums is a little off too. oh and you can't switch the bleeder screw and brake line...

so in short, the wheel cylinders are not interchangeable. easiest way to tell is where the mounting holes are. early 95's have the mounting holes on the bottom (bleeder screw on top). while the other years have the moutning holes on the top (along with the bleeder screw). i looked carefully at my chiltons an they only have the later model cylinders pictured. they don't even mention mine. dammit. i guess maybe i'll look for a rebuild kit. unless they only make THOSE for the later model too... dammit dammit dammit

-marc

Sorry bout the problems you're having with it...but no, I didn't know that. Good info man - thanks.


95 Eclipse RS : 5 speed
15.7 @ 87.9mph
Jeep TB writeup - http://www.dimensia.com:81/jimbo/JeepTBfor2gnt.html