Hello, This is my first post. Last year I picked up a 1953 Olds Super 88. My intention is to share it with my grandfather. His father was an Olds mechanic in Pittsburgh, and my grandfather drove only Olds until the 80's. Anyway, I ran into an issue rebuilding the Power Brake. I bought the Master Bendix Rebuild kit from Fusick. I noticed that the kit doesn't provide a replacement washer for the vacuum piston that goes on between the slide valve and snap ring. The washer that I removed from the vehicle was in such poor shape I'm unsure of the material. I think its a stop washer. Not sure how it impacts vacuum seal. Does anyone happen to know of this part, and whether or not it should have been included in the rebuild kit? The guys at Fusick said they will look into it, but don't seem to have any advice. This washer is the only thing preventing me from having the vehicle on the road. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Steve

 

 

Here is the diagram. I would have posted sooner, but I just figured out how to include an image. The part in question has a check mark above it. Thanks

 

Hi Steve, just did mine a short time ago and that washer was not in my kit from Fusick either, I was lucky enough though that mine wasn't in need of replacing so I just reused it.
It's a fibre washer and just seemed to be there like it says as a stop washer and create a seat for the snap ring,
I ended up buying another more extensive kit off Ebay, which let me replace a couple of extra things, but it still didn't have that fibre washer you require.
Hope this helps mate.
Here is the link to my rebuild thread. https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...e-rebuild.html

 

Welcome to the site Steve. I moved your post to the Vintage Olds section, these guys are a great bunch and can help you with your brakes.

Post an intro in the Newbie section with some pictures of your car when you get a chance.

 

Many thanks Eightbanger,I knew that you ordered your kit from Fusick,and completed it recently. Larry

 

Guys, Thanks a lot for all of the feedback. I really appreciate it. Eightbanger, thanks for confirming that I'm not crazy, and that the part, despite being somewhat sacrificial, really isn't in Fusick rebuild kit. Now I just have to locate a fiber washer that fits. Eightbanger, after looking at the picture of your rebuild kit. Any chance that the copper washers in the kit were to replace the fiber washer?
Thanks again, Steve

 

As excited as I was to see those included in the larger kit, in the end I could find no place for them in my Treadle Vac, they were both wrong on OD and ID for use there.

 

Oh well. I'm beginning my search for the fiber washer. I welcome any suggestions. Thanks

 

If you can get the O.D. ,ID.,and thickness you may can order them from Apex Fasteners.They have many to choose from. Also Home Depot came up when I googled Fiber Washers. Best of luck, Larry

 

I emailed Harmon Classic Brakes, nice people, the guy said he'd have a look tomorrow and hopefully he can find something.

 

Thanks for reaching out to Harmon Brakes. Now that I know I'm looking for a fiber washer I'm going to try Fuscik again today. I finally had a chance to spend some time on this forum and update my profile. I Just saw your 53' 98. It's nice. It looks like the car my 88 aspires to be. I think your earlier posts will be a great resource for my endeavor. I'm hoping that once I get the brakes sorted out the vehicle will be fairly road worthy, but that's probably too convenient. Regardless, I have a few months to get the vehicle on the road and my grandfather behind the wheel while the weather is right. Thanks again, Steve

 

They got back to me today Steve...he said they had none, new or used.

 

I spoke to the brake guy at Fusick, and he gave me the contact at the place where they outsource their brake rebuilds. The contact knew of the fiber washer and said they can generally reuse the original in the rebuilds. He said the fiber washer isn't available, but that a steel washer is a reasonable replacement, presuming it fits correctly and the piston doesn't rub against the inside of the washer. So, I guess that's the direction I'm going. Looking for steel washer. Thanks.

 

Here's one possibility. Happy searching.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-washers/=12dwef4

If it's a real oddball, washers can be fabricated (at a cost!).

 

Ozzie, Thanks for the link. I'm working on determining the size. I don't have the intact original. It was in pieces, and I figured that it would be in the rebuild kit, so it was more or less discarded. I know from one of the fragments that its 1/16" thick. I think I can work backwards from the Piston plate to figure out the O.D. I think the I.D. doesn't have to be exact, erring on it being larger just so the piston doesn't rub.