Brake booster clean up
As you can see from the picture, my brake booster (probably not the correct technical term) is pretty rusty. It is though just surfaces rust at the moment and as these are pretty expensive items I'd like to clean it up, treat and paint it so that it lasts a few more years at least.
I don't really want to start disconnecting it and messing about with brake fluid with potential for paintwork damage so my question is:
Can I just sand off worst of rust, treat it with rust converter, paint with red oxide and then black top coats?
Or is there a correct way of doing this? Or should it be left to a professional?
If that's a DIY type job then I'd probably tackle the air filter housing at the same time (before you all point out that that also needs doing)
Mark
Yes, no problem in doing all that, just take time to mask everything else first. Use a standard satin-black acrylic as it will dry quickly and give a nice finish.
For the air-filter lid, just paint the top surface, as inside will be OK. I've done this with a simonize polyurethane tough black satin paint, which is very heat resistant, but you need to paint off the car and get two or three coats on before it starts to dry, ie within 5 - 10 mins of each other. Else, just use satin-black acrylic as it will be OK, too. There are also some people on eBay selling the yellow, ignition-high-voltage warning stickers, if you want to replace that.
Change your brake-fluid, if it's really as black as it looks in the picture.
Hello Mark,
I would of thought you can remove the entire air filter housing rub down with glass paper and respray with aerosol acid etch primer de-nib and top coat with matt black enamel ?
Neil.
On the 463, most of the filter housing is plastic. Only the top lid is metal.
that'll just unclip then Arnie and fanny's your aunt huh ?
Does it look like one of these Mark ?
Yes it does look a bit like that - although the outlet on mine is on the side rather than underneath. And it must be the diff lock reservoir as it specifies brake fluid - as does the one in your pic.
But once I get a replacement where does the old fluid get drained from (and as there are 3 diff locks are there 3 drain points that need taking care of)? Might as well make sure it's done properly.
PS - mine's an auto so not the clutch.
Mark,Whoops that picture is for the W460 and yours is a 463 ain't it. So your lid would look like this :-
But we do need Sherlock to tell us the part number.
And as for how you would go about bleeding the system well gonna need someone wiv some proper savvy ! maybe Arnie or GwagonG or Gordon if they're on this band ?
1-9 for a rig check !!!!
Yes - exactly like that.
Can't cost more than thrumpence so will call MB in Brighton tomorrow to see if they can supply just a cap or if necessary, for two thrumpences, the complete reservoir and cap.
Mark,
You need to crawl underneath to the axles and find the diff lock actuators, on the axle tube just off set the differential and spray the bleed nipple in some form of wd40 etc, and leave for a few days before contemplating changing the fluid. Easier than brakes if those bleed nipples will undo?
Only two bleed nipples as centre diff uses electrics rather than hydraulic.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic and absorbs water at the rate of 1 - 2% per year. If not changed every 3 years, there is a risk of boiling off the water content during heavy braking. This produces compressible vapour and hence you loose braking.
Also, changing the brake fluid regularly prolongs the life of the brake components.
(The fact that brake-fluid absorbs water is actually good in a way because otherwise, with a non-hygroscopic fluid, any water entering the system would pool at the lowest point and immediately reduce the maximum operating temperature to less than 100C )
There ya go Mark, I told ya one of the clever gents would enlighten us as to how !
I'd forgotten about JASONGDS though. Mind you he is GwagonG n' all ain't he ? those 2 should be called Latoya and Michael !!!
ha ha only kidding boys.
Thanks to you both for the continued help support and wisdom.
I will be writing my update soon guys and with everyones help i have made great progress with the "G"Bola stricken truck and she will be puring like a pussy cat in a minute !
All the best.
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Thanks Arnie.
Brake fluid change booked in (a job I feel safer having a professional take care every driver I can think of would prefer not to have a G Wagon plough into the back of them).
Sorry to be a dumbo - but the other reservoir that looks a bit like the brake fluid reservoir (in the very top left corner of my pic) - is that the diff lock fluid reservoir? Fluid in there also pretty black. Also the cap for this one is cracked. Anyone know where I can just buy a replacement cap?