Joined
·
119 Posts
My intent with this post is not to flame anyone; it is to check and see if my expectations are realistic or not.
Background: Purchase a master cylinder for my boat tail on Jan of 2017 from Centerline in anticipation of redoing the braking system later the same year. Self installed the master, speed bleeders, new flex lines around June July of 2017. January of 2018 the master springs a leak at the front cap area. I call Centerline and inquire about replacement. The gentleman on the phone (very courteous) looks it up and explains there is a 90 day warranty only but is willing to provide a rebuild 1/2 off. He does ask how many miles I have put on the new m/c and I say about 3000. He says that alot. I thought this was odd - do most owners not drive their cars regularly - because I do. Anyways I ask if he will provide two rebuild kits for the price of one and he agrees. Since I still have the old m/c that I replaced I figure I will rebuild both and have a spare just in case. The kits arrive promptly and the total cost after shipping is under $20.
Now here is my concern; and maybe I am wrong. A m/c is not something that you can "break" easily. Usually the seals wear out over time and from my experience this can take years and years. Honestly, I know that there have had to have been some that fail early (like mine) but logically its a question of wear on rubber parts or rust etc... In my mind if it fails within, even 12 months, I think there is a defect in the parts (most likely the rubber parts).
I am not looking for Centerline to step in and send me an new unit. That transaction is done and in the past. What I want to know is if my line of thought is in the minority or a common belief. Parts such as m/c should last longer than, in my case 6 months, though purchase date was 12 mons.
But I may not be aware of the manufacture process or basic issues with such hardware; I just know from experience I have never had a m/c fail in under 5 years that I can think of and I tend to keep my cars a long time.
Background: Purchase a master cylinder for my boat tail on Jan of 2017 from Centerline in anticipation of redoing the braking system later the same year. Self installed the master, speed bleeders, new flex lines around June July of 2017. January of 2018 the master springs a leak at the front cap area. I call Centerline and inquire about replacement. The gentleman on the phone (very courteous) looks it up and explains there is a 90 day warranty only but is willing to provide a rebuild 1/2 off. He does ask how many miles I have put on the new m/c and I say about 3000. He says that alot. I thought this was odd - do most owners not drive their cars regularly - because I do. Anyways I ask if he will provide two rebuild kits for the price of one and he agrees. Since I still have the old m/c that I replaced I figure I will rebuild both and have a spare just in case. The kits arrive promptly and the total cost after shipping is under $20.
Now here is my concern; and maybe I am wrong. A m/c is not something that you can "break" easily. Usually the seals wear out over time and from my experience this can take years and years. Honestly, I know that there have had to have been some that fail early (like mine) but logically its a question of wear on rubber parts or rust etc... In my mind if it fails within, even 12 months, I think there is a defect in the parts (most likely the rubber parts).
I am not looking for Centerline to step in and send me an new unit. That transaction is done and in the past. What I want to know is if my line of thought is in the minority or a common belief. Parts such as m/c should last longer than, in my case 6 months, though purchase date was 12 mons.
But I may not be aware of the manufacture process or basic issues with such hardware; I just know from experience I have never had a m/c fail in under 5 years that I can think of and I tend to keep my cars a long time.