Matt Mc_Carthy wrote in a message to Roy J. Tellason:

 JB>> You should be able to get a kit from the dealer or a brake
 JB>> specialist containing only the rubber bits for your brakes.

 RJT> I would have thought so too,  but these days the pricing it such 
 RJT> that it's easier/cheaper to just replace the whole caliper,  
 RJT> master cylinder,  or whatever.  Same thing with wheel 
 RJT> cylinders...

 MMC> About two months ago my daughter blew a wheel cylinder and I went
 MMC> shopping.  The cylinder kit was something like $8.95, and the
 MMC> complete cylinder was $5.99.  I couldn't believe it and had the
 MMC> clerk double check the price, he was correct!  Also saved me a few
 MMC> hours trying to find where I last put my cylinder hone.   :-((

Just so.  :-)

The last time I did one,  I replaced one on my truck.  The problem there
was that the replacement unit had a bleeder valve that required a 10mm
wrench!  That's now the _ONLY_ metric fitting on the whole damn vehicle...!
 I would have taken it back and exchanged it at that point in time,  except
that I'd already put it all the way back together,  by the time I realized
it.  And this truck is a bit worse than your average car,  it's not a
floating drum.  You have to take off _eight_ lug nuts,  and then _eight
more_ bolts,  and pull that half of the axle out...   In addition to taking
the brake parts out.  Grr.

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