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Anybody still make brake wheel cylinders NOT in china?

Started by Duodec, October 10, 2022, 10:13:44 AM

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Duodec

I've been buying some of the more standard repair parts the Challenger is going to need for restoration (resto-mod) and visited two parts stores this weekend.  The store brand AND the Raybestos wheel cylinders are chinese.  Are any of the factory style brake parts still available made in North America or even Taiwan?  I know that brake disks and drums are pretty much all chinesium but hoping its still possible to get the rest of the repair parts from better sources.

I wish Rock Auto disclosed country of origin more consistently.

Thanks

torredcuda

I bought some years ago from and they didn`t fit in the cutout where they bolt in, obviosuly made in China and casting was off. You might get lucky and find some older ones at an auto parts store or rebuild yours if they aren`t too bad. Not sure if they make any "good" ones now.
Jeff   `72 Barracuda 340/4spd
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Northeast Mighty Mopar Club
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anlauto

Sad thing is the ones manufactured in North America are likely no better than the overseas ones....and most likely made buy people recently immigrated to North America anyways :))
I've taught you everything you know....but I haven't taught you everything I know....
Check out my web site ....  Alan Gallant Automotive Restoration


Bullitt-

  rebuilt my OE wheel cylinders ... didn't have any issues, used 600-grit with oil to clean the bore

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-viUNCwmjg
.                                               [glow=black,42,300]Doin It Southern Syle[/glow]       

JH27N0B

I don't think anyone makes aftermarket brake parts in North America anymore.
I worked for the company that makes Raybestos and Napa United and got laid off in 2005 which was around the time they started shutting down plants.  Their last plant, which was in downstate IL, closed in 2009 or 2010.
It was really a crime what happened, I recall around 20 years ago overhearing a marketing guy saying that pallets of rotors where getting shipped in being sold for less than we were paying for a casting that still needed to be machined and packaged.
They advertised our products were made in USA.
In the end they had to concede if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and started making the product in Asia too.  They tried, but since the authorities didn't do anything to address the dumping of low cost products on our markets, they allowed our manufacturers to get beat.
NOS and NORS parts is the only way to get non Asian parts.
A number of parts for vintage cars have been discontinued recently like brake rebuild kits, so it may be a case of be happy if you can buy it regardless of where it's made.

Duodec

Comes of being out of the game for 25 years; I didn't know how bad it had gotten.  I had a lot of parts purchased in the 80s and 90s, and kept an eye for NOS and good repros that I was concerned would go away (like the Metro interior panels, and yes I knew that many repro parts, especially metal, were being made in china) but didn't give much thought to suspension/brake/basic mechanicals.  I've got Moog ball joints, tie rod ends, pitman and idler arm, and bushings, and the rear brake hardware kits (I'm converting to front disks; got the spindles, calipers, etc from a '73-76 A body years ago, and the calipers were rebuilt already).  No idea if the rear cylinders will be rebuildable; they have sat for 25 years... and I bet the kits are all chinesium also.

I did send a note to Raybestos expressing disappointment that a brand I trusted and used for years (on my daily drivers whenever I could do the brake work) had so degraded itself.  It won't matter but I feel a little better.

Thanks for the replies.