Plating Master Cylinder Tin Can - Pros and Cons

[Marv]

I've performed a site search and didn't come up with anything on this subject. Might be a bad idea but on the surface, it sounds good.

I have a friend in the Electroless Nickel Plating business who said he'd plate my master cylinder tin can. Properly cleaned, which he does, and readied for plating, a deposit of .0004" max is applied with conventional Nickel plating. I see benefits in rust protection, wear tolerance, lubricity plus others. It applies itself in a highly uniform consistent manner to exacting tolerances of as little as .0001".

What am I missing?

Marv TC5141

[Duncan M]

Marv-
What becomes of the cylinder that runs through the tin can? Are you talking about removing the cylinder to plate the bean can, or does it stay in place? I replaced the 65yo cylinder only on my TC bean can, or actually I replaced the cylinder and most of the solder of the bean can while doing it. Not sure how well solder would stick to your plated can. You'd likely end up scraping it off where the solder for the cylinder goes, and finding the cylinder would not fit back in the hole after plating. If you leave the cyl. in place for the plating, how you keep it out of the cyl. bore?
Duncan-

[Steve Simmons]

I don't see a problem, so long as you can solder the MC back into the can.

[Marv]

The idea was that the new M/C would be in the bean can properly soldered with a base solder compatible to nickel plating process. I cannot see how .0004" can disrupt the normal action and sealing of the seals nor impede the flow of fluid to and from the can to the cylinder. The surface finish of the nickel plating is as good or better than any machine honing at least. If anything, I would think the little bit extra only improves the actions of the seals to the bore. Dot 3, 4 or 5 will not have any chemical intolerance to the nickel plating. Additionally, the threads on the M/C can be plated without fear that the nut will not screw on. I've had nickel plating applied to assemblies where both the female and male threads were plated and still mated perfectly if not better. Thread forms are inherently sloppy unless you're talking class 3 which certainly Abingdon did not use. We used that class on some Space Shuttle projects at the direction of NASA but you wont find it on mid to late 40's cars from England.

However in response to Duncan's concern on soldering a new M/C into a nickel plated can, I'm told that nickel plating can be silver soldered or silver brazed with the proper flux. Nickel plate adhesion is normally qualified as destructive to the base metal on removal. Meaning, it becomes one with the substrate. Again, I doubt that .0004" will impede the insertion of a new M/C into a nickel plated can.

Respectfully,
Marv TC5141

[Duncan M]

Marv-
My original steel cylinder bore was grooved and pitted, so I fitted a steel replacement. The actual bean can was good as new after I cleaned it out, which is why I soldered in the new cylinder. They made some good cans back in '49. Now it is common to buy an all bronze m/c assembly. Most people just don't bother. Or they convert to the VW M/C in the name of safety.
Duncan-

[Marv]

I agree Duncan, my can is not trashed and I have a new M/C to assemble into it. Being that the idea came up over a pint with my plating friend, it seemed like a topic for discussion. Our cars provide lots of side "tangents" to let us wander into the "what-ifs"! I've never been ill at ease with the brakes on the TC since I don't drive it like our family SUV. The lack of safety never crossed my mind to make me investigate the changeover to VW based M/C or steering, MGA double cylinder brake drums or various other bits that may stand a tad of improvement from the engineering of the 40's.

Cheers,
Marv-

[Steve Simmons]

The brakes on my TC will stop the car as fast as the tires can handle. I've never understood the "upgrades" to make the wheels lock up even faster. With 16" wheels on wide radials, I can see more power being potentially useful, but not on a stock setup.

[Marv]

Couldn't agree more Steve....

Marv- TC5141

[Norman Golm]

I have found with softer more agressive lining material it is possible to brake with much less pedal pressure.

[Duncan M]

My TC has the rebuilt original rebuilt m/c described above, original brake lines I gently solvent & roto-rootered out, and rebuilt wheel cylinders that have been on the car since at least 1955, recently rebuilt. I find the stock brakes work remarkably well.