Replacement Seals ???

[Doc Pepper]

Has anybody ever fabricated their own brake master cylinder seals for any of their vehicles. I am thinking of trying it with an experimental vehicle. I can't get an overhaul kit for the M/C and a replacement is almost $400. I was even thinking of trying to make seals using leather. I have tried to locate seal manufacturers and giving them the specs for my M/C, but I have had no luck.
The prices for replacement parts these days is ridiculous. And I feel terrible when I have to replace 5 pounds of otherwise excellent part simply because of a 2 gram piece of rubber.

[Mr. Jones]

You didn’t mention a vehicle,I’m assuming it’s a Slick....I recently replaced my single pot M/C to dual reservoir m/c ordered a 1967 style from O’Rielly’s under a$100... never tried to make new seals
Dan

[slick4x4]

I bought the complete master cylinder for my 63
I think I paid around $60 bucks .....
I would think DOT would frown immensely on
Using fabricated parts

[LM14]

I would just swap to amore common master cylinder.
SPark

[Doc Pepper]

The reason this is not in the truck forum is because it is not about the pickup. The vehicle in question is a 50 year old junk yard 914. ALL of the brake components are frozen. They all have to come out and be overhauled. I can get seals for the calipers, but not for the M/C or P/V. Also, the windshield wipers are a fiasco: There are 12 ball joints or bushings. I have to remove the wiper shafts, which are seriously corroded, re weld them and then cut them back down to size. Then I have to re-fabricate the shaft tubes for it all to work. Bottom line: Replacement brake parts are over $1100 and a USED replacement wiper assembly is $750. All for a couple of seals and bushings.
So my inquiry here was to find others who have actually repaired hydraulics (or wiper assemblies) using raw supplies. If you don't think about things like this, or if you are timid about something just because others say that it is a critical component, then I was not addressing you.
As a lifetime research engineer and fabricator, I don't like to replace 100 pounds of otherwise good working equipment just for a few $1 components.
NOTE: I DO appreciate your responses, even if they are only warnings against continuing. But constructive information was what I was seeking.

[FarmMotorSports]

Personally I don't think $158 for a master cylinder is out of line for a Porsche.(Rockauto.com if it matters. Didn't bother checking Pelican Parts.)
I spent $500 to get a head gasket for my 924Turbo... Because in the early 90's Porsche was the only source.
At the same time I have rebuilt multiple Corvette, Studebaker, and 50's Chevy MC's and wheel cylinders. Always with an a appropriate kit, and a few times with parts at hand...(old kits with correct sized parts) If you had access to the lip seals set that is extremely close in size I might give it a whirl, but if the bore is pitted you may spend more than $200 in time to attempt at cleaning up the bore without Oversizing it beyond what the seal will work with. Ben there blew that Saturday and Sunday chasing a pit that went way to deep.

Good luck with it.
Parked mine years ago due to the $100 here and $200 there syndrome.

[slick4x4]

If the MC is frozen up , my guess is that it probably
Has some excessive corrosion & pitting in it
A lot of honing , or even boring out might have to be done
What you need , is an old shop that specializes in brakes
That could possibly find some parts that would interchange from
Another vehicle.....
A long time ago , We used to have a business like that here.....
I went in with some rubber brake parts from an old military truck...
I bet the guy opened up 30 boxes until we found a close enough match
I doubt if a guy can hardly find a business that will do that Today

I do understand your wanting to fix your own
I had a compressor off a bigger truck that ran the air brakes
It leaked oil around the front SE sl on the shaft
I took it to the new brake shop
They wouldn't touch it ..... too much liability
Over $500 for a rebuild with my core
Took it home
Got the seal out
Went to bearing shop & got a seal for $12
Still running good 15 years later

Good luck Doc P

[Doc Pepper]

Top, that penny here dime there syndrome is one of the reasons I am thoroughly going over this vehicle now. If I can get the wipers better than original or the brakes completely redone, they won't fail me for many years. Also keep in mind that the drive train is electric with no batteries, so everything gas-wise that can fail won't even be there. Those plastic adapters inside the door handles are broken. What I will do is make metal ones from snipped sheet metal (and of course go through and lubricate the latches). My hope is that this vehicle, when completed (probably when I am 80) will last me the rest of my life. There is no way I am ever buying a new car, and every used car I ever purchased was a mechanical fiasco when I got it home.
Plus of course, this thing rides like its on rails .