Horrible experience with servo "restoration"

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Gary Schulz
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Re: Horrible experience with servo "restoration"

Post by Gary Schulz »

colonel mustard wrote: Mon Sep 28, 2020 8:05 pm Hi Gary
Have you had any feedback on this matter yet?

I basically just ate my losses on this. I sent the servo to a place in California to have it "re-rebuilt" and I got it back in about 1 1/2 weeks and it now works perfectly.
The place in California had some colorful commentary on what they found inside!

Just another learning experience...
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Re: Horrible experience with servo "restoration"

Post by Highnumbers »

Sorry to hear about the first experience, Gary.

Was the place in California, PowerBrake as Nick suggested?

I'll need to have my Servo rebuilt, and pleased to see they have a location here in Southern California. If so, I'll get my Servo over there right away.
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Re: Horrible experience with servo "restoration"

Post by Gary Schulz »

Yes, Luis at PowerBrake was very good at getting it turned around for me.
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Re: Horrible experience with servo "restoration"

Post by mk1 »

The place in California had some colourful commentary on what they found inside!

Please share! The original offender is the most likely restorer that people will come across here, it would be good to hear what these other guys found.
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Re: Horrible experience with servo "restoration"

Post by colonel mustard »

Agree with Mark,
I have mine boxed up along with brake callipers ready to go to said outfit but holding back.
any other suggestions for servo refurbishment as a second option?
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Re: Horrible experience with servo "restoration"

Post by floormanager »

colonel mustard wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2020 3:42 pm Agree with Mark,
I have mine boxed up along with brake callipers ready to go to said outfit but holding back.
any other suggestions for servo refurbishment as a second option?
I used these people 4 years ago.

http://www.classiccar-brakes.co.uk/
It took a while but I was very pleased with their work and the servo has been fine. Nice people too.
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Re: Horrible experience with servo "restoration"

Post by Gary Schulz »

Luis basically confirmed my observations on the state of the control valve bore having not been honed so it compromised the seal in that circuit. He also found that the pushrod was actually bent so that was the primary culprit for the master cyl side leak. No sleeving was necessary however he said if they had simply tested their work they would have immediately detected these issues.

Luis just spent some time straightening the original pushrod and working on the air control valve circuit along with a new air control valve seal and a new vacuum diaphragm.

He did praise the plating job that was done by the other firm so all was not lost I guess!

Forgot to mention, PowerBrake did the job very quickly and initially quoted me something like $250 but charged me only $180...

Not really an option for guys outside of NA but I was impressed by them.
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Re: Horrible experience with servo "restoration"

Post by nick rogers »

Apologies for re-visiting this thread but if anyone is interested I now have more of the stainless steel pushrods available. £15 each. Essential if rebuilding Cooper S servos.
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Re: Horrible experience with servo "restoration"

Post by Milo »

nick rogers wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 5:01 pm Apologies for re-visiting this thread but if anyone is interested I now have more of the stainless steel pushrods available. £15 each. Essential if rebuilding Cooper S servos.
Thanks for the Servo Rods Nick
They are exactly the same as original ( except yours are Stainless Steel )

Using the Lockheed 5 1/2" Service Manual in the Technical section I notice that the spacers are not the same as is, in the Manual (pg9 no 34 )
I have taken 2 apart and both piston rods seem to have corroded in the same places, so the stainless steel ones should sort that problem out.
Thanks again Nick
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