How to Inspect the Wheel Cylinder

Brake performance is important for your driving safety. If your brakes grab or fail, it could be because you have a leaking wheel cylinder. This should be corrected immediately. You may also experience heel drag, if the clearance between the pistons and the bore wall exceeds allowed values for your brakes. Prevent problems by reading on to learn how to inspect the wheel cylinder.

Instructions

1

Remove the brake drum. You need to look for wetness on the cylinder, linings, backing plate or on the inside of the tire. This is one sign of a leak from a wheel cylinder.

2

Check the dust boots. If they are cut, torn or heat-cracked, you need to replace your wheel cylinder before it begins to leak.

3

Peel back the dust boot. If you see a small amount of seepage, this is normal. If the boot is dripping, it needs to be replaced.

4

Examine the master cylinder reservoir. If the fluid level has dropped, you have a wheel cylinder leak.

5

Inspect the cylinder bore. If you see a ring of hard, crystal-like substance, you can remove with a crocus cloth or an approved cylinder hone. If the rough deposits cannot be cleaned off, you need to replace your wheel cylinder.