[Tigers] Possible solution to servo issue

[David Sosna]

I talked to Smitty a bit more and got some interesting information:
The 'Neatsfoot soak' trick can take months sometimes to bring the 
leather back to decent condition.
He slathers red rubber grease all over everything, especially the inside 
of the 'can'.
Sometimes the piston will start sticking after six or eight months--on 
disassembly, he'll find that the neatsfoot-oiled leather seal has sucked 
up all the grease he slathered inside the 'can' earlier.
A reasonable expectation is that after a rebuild, the servo will last 
about 6 years or so, then have to be rebuilt again.

Since conventional brake fluid is hygroscopic (even the Castrol LMA), as 
fluid leaks into the servo, the moisture:
A. puddles on the bottom side of the 'can', which is why it gets so 
pitted that sometimes it has to be tossed.
B. is absorbed by the leather, which then gets stiff and doesn't seal.

Gary (sorry, I'm not sure of the last name) mentioned he'd been running 
silicone fluid, (which doesn't absorb moisture, and if any DID leak into 
the servo, would act as a lubricant for the leather seal), and hasn't 
had a problem with his servo in decades.  Which would seem to back up 
what Smitty was saying earlier.

Best Regards
David Sosna


On 07/26/2012 01:52 PM, Tony McNulty wrote:
> Try going to the Apiezon website and see what they have.  The make all 
> kinds to vacuum greases and sealants.
>
> Tony McNulty
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Sosna" 
> <sosnaenergyconsulting at cox.net>
> To: <tigers at autox.team.net>
> Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2012 1:13 PM
> Subject: Re: [Tigers] Possible solution to servo issue
>
>
>> Hi Jay:
>> I think Smitty soaks the disk, with its leather seal, in neatsfoot 
>> oil for an unspecified length of time (days, weeks?). Leather can be 
>> 'rehydrated', but it does take time and depends on how badly it dried 
>> out and whether it's cracked, in which case it might not be re-useable.
>> You might want to check with Smitty about the length of time for 
>> soaking and confirm what he soaked it in.  (619) 233-7937.
>>
>> Best Regards
>> David Sosna
>>
>>
>>
>> On 07/26/2012 09:50 AM, Jay Laifman wrote:
>>> Unless my dad had it rebuilt twice, this one was rebuilt about 10+ 
>>> years
>>> ago by Smitty.  I have no idea what he might have used.  I'm going 
>>> to open
>>> it up next time I get out to the car and check all these details, 
>>> including
>>> if the piston pops back as Pete suggested, and for the debris per Ron.
>>>
>>> FWIW, the guy who told me about taking out the foam said that the 
>>> problem
>>> with most lubricants is that the vacuum running through there 
>>> ultimately
>>> whisks it all out - especially the silicone sprays.  Jerry said the 
>>> same
>>> thing.
>>>
>>> Gary and Kirk suggested using Girling Red Grease.  Can I get this at a
>>> local auto supply shop?
>>> Jay
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 7:09 PM, Gary Winblad 
>>> <garywinblad at comcast.net>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Jay,
>>>> Years ago it was known that the foam that came in the re-build kit was
>>>> really
>>>> too large a diameter.  I always just used my old one.  I am not 
>>>> sure it is
>>>> good
>>>> to totally eliminate it.  You can "carve" down the new one with 
>>>> scissors
>>>> if you
>>>> have too but it might be alot of work...
>>>> Gary
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