Series 3 Britpart wheel cylinders, premature failure.

WoodyO · Jan 11, 2022

Evening all,

New brakes ordered up last year for my rebuild under DA6044 from Paddocks. Brake shoes, springs, cylinders etc, Britpart branded.

No problems for the first couple of months, but a heavily binding front nearside wheel prompted investigation.

All front cylinders heavily corroded and one leaking fluid past the seal. Too corroded to fully return and causing a bind.

In the process of replacing with Delphi parts.

Now I'm not one of the Britpart hate brigade, I think they do some great bits for good prices. But these are absolutely terrible quality.

I intentionally fitted cheaper components for the majority of my rebuild to keep costs down, accepting that some parts would fail early and need to be replaced with higher quality parts.

Have emailed Paddocks for a refund on the price of replacement cylinders but not holding out much hope.

Surprisingly the rears are still immaculate and not a spot of rust on them.

steve2286w · Jan 11, 2022

Did you put some red rubber grease under the dust seal , that helps but when choosing what quality parts to fit thinking about the consequences of failure helps me decide whether this is effort of fitting new bits or just the safety aspects , I’ve tried the cheapie wheel cylinders and master cylinders and now get TRW Lucas or Girling , but used britpart swivel balls as I heard good reviews

WoodyO · Jan 11, 2022

No grease fitted that time but have done so on the replacements.

Agreed ref. consequences of fitting cheap parts to safety critical components, however I'm a mechanic by trade and this vehicle is inspected regularly, so I'm not concerned in that respect. Blue box or not, things still have to be made to meet regulations.

northern scot · Jan 12, 2022

avoid britpart ,for important things ! you can get a cheepy zenith carb copy for £60 by the real deal is over 300!! same with distributors ,cheepy copy of lucas for 40 quid , real mccoy is nearer 200!!, i would hate to buy a "restored " landy done with all britparts !!

kermit_rr · Jan 12, 2022

I can't imagine britpart or anyone else making/selling brake parts that don't meet regulation.
Was the brake fluid fresh?
As stated, red rubber grease helps immensely.
When my series was my daily, i much preferred the steel cylinders over the ally ones

WoodyO · Jan 12, 2022

Yes, all new fluid as well as all other brake components.

I wasn't questioning Britparts standards against regulations, I agree that they will meet or even exceed them which is why I'm not concerned using Britpart parts.

I think there's way too much snobbery surrounding the use of blue box items, especially when a lot of the time they are fitted incorrectly. It's quite easy to apportion blame to a 'cheap and inferior part' when in reality its the fault of the fitter/user...

... quite possibly the same as what I've done here.

But to say someone wouldn't buy a vehicle that has been restored using Britpart parts is pretty idiotic in my opinion.

kermit_rr · Jan 12, 2022

WoodyO said:
But to say someone wouldn't buy a vehicle that has been restored using Britpart parts is pretty idiotic in my opinion.

i think some people see using cheap parts as cutting corners and not looking after your car, but some people do have a very warped idea on replacing serviceable parts just for the sake of it

Wildefalcon · Jan 12, 2022

I had Britpart wheel cylinders on my truck for 15 years, only started leaking last year. I bought Britpart tail lights and the white plastic broke up in a week. You pays your money.....

Paddock replaced the lights, but I've fixed the originals, so what do I do with the replacements? They're going to be as bad.

steve2286w · Jan 12, 2022

I hate those lights , I have a box of cheapie lights in garage , the plastic seal round the indicator/side lights so hard almost break the lens getting it off, the wipac rubber bits better but the which inner screw posts still split , the stop,tail was even wired wrong had to, swaps the wires , get 2-3 years out of them and change

lynall · Jan 12, 2022

All britpart brakes on all my land rovers/drums and disc set ups, all seem to last okay, series masters dont last a year, but thats because I dont use the thing!
Britpart wheel cylinders okay, britpart calipers some are 7 years and counting.
Not singing their praises but saying as I have found, so far!

No name brake pads currently in my D3, hate to say it but apart from the odd squeak they have been good, 25 quid for all four corners.
EBC greenstuff in there before, 70 quid an axle set, EBC greenstuff decent brake pads but wear out very fast.

lynall · Jan 12, 2022

WoodyO said:
Evening all,

New brakes ordered up last year for my rebuild under DA6044 from Paddocks. Brake shoes, springs, cylinders etc, Britpart branded.

No problems for the first couple of months, but a heavily binding front nearside wheel prompted investigation.

All front cylinders heavily corroded and one leaking fluid past the seal. Too corroded to fully return and causing a bind.

In the process of replacing with Delphi parts.

Now I'm not one of the Britpart hate brigade, I think they do some great bits for good prices. But these are absolutely terrible quality.

I intentionally fitted cheaper components for the majority of my rebuild to keep costs down, accepting that some parts would fail early and need to be replaced with higher quality parts.

Have emailed Paddocks for a refund on the price of replacement cylinders but not holding out much hope.

Surprisingly the rears are still immaculate and not a spot of rust on them.

I would be interested to know where the water came from? as cant see the quality of the cylinder making any difference rust wise.

WoodyO · Jan 12, 2022

I have been through a few fords recently and a spot of off roading, but always washed down and stored indoors.

Admittedly I could have cleaned inside the drums better than I did, however the rear cylinders had exactly the same treatment and have faired very well.

Western Slope Rover · Jan 12, 2022

I can't be picky in the US. I buy it if I can find it.

Bobsticle · Jan 13, 2022

I went for all steel around 7 years ago. One of them seized within two years and I could only get a britpart ally one for an emergency replacement.
The britpart one has lasted as long as the rest but I binned the lot this year for general maintenance along with new drums and springs.
Always better to do them before I have to.

lynall · Jan 13, 2022

WoodyO said:
I have been through a few fords recently and a spot of off roading, but always washed down and stored indoors.

Admittedly I could have cleaned inside the drums better than I did, however the rear cylinders had exactly the same treatment and have faired very well.

I used to do a lot of laning in the series, did not always wash it off afterwards
Think I have only replaced a couple of wheel cylinders in over ten years

Series 3 Britpart wheel cylinders, premature failure.

WoodyO

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steve2286w

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WoodyO

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northern scot

Member

kermit_rr

Very

WoodyO

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kermit_rr

Very

Wildefalcon

Well-Known Member

steve2286w

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lynall

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lynall

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WoodyO

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Western Slope Rover

Well-Known Member

Bobsticle

De Villes Advocaat

lynall

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