Manky Monkey Motors

Cos I have to get a new one.  Was supposed to take it over to Toad this morning but I wasn't feeling too good after overdoing it at a 6 year old's party on Sunday!

So I've taken some phots....

The wording says "B311" (could be 8311) and "Girling 518"

Manky says 5/8" bore is probably standard Reliant.
LandRovers use 3/4 & are half the price. Saddlebags bought one brand new the other day for less than 20 quid. Depends how critical the bore size is to your particular application.

I'll measure the bore tomorrow!

I can see it in the picture Hon! It's stamped on the side, next to the word Girling.

Ah!  What I thought was 518!

Just looked in the 'Commercial Links' section, and can't see one for Reliant parts, bit surprised!

Michaels of Selby -as usual, but there are cheaper places to buy cylinders -try Merlin Motorsports.

http://www.merlinmotorsport.com/index.php

Got a cylinder today from Bruce (who built the trike) - it's actually a larger bore but he says it'll be fine, £33 plus vat, tisn't girling but I'm not bothered as long as it works!

I'm never sure if a bigger bore would give you less or more braking efficiency. A bigger piston surface area would theoretically shift more fluid, but a smaller piston would create more pressure for the same amount of travel. I just stuck to the original Reliant size as I've got all 3 brakes linked together & it seems to work.

Bruce reckons it'll give more braking power - I'll let you know!   It's what he's using, anyway, on trikes with same kind of setup as mine.   Except possibly with disc brakes as his trikes are pretty classy now (pity I didn't take my camera!) so I hope it's not too much power for my drum brakes - can lock them up quite easily already!

Only met your Bruce once. Very quiet but seemed a real nice guy. I'd love to see what else he's turned out besides Gertie.

Well the master cylinder story turned into a saga!  And it goes like this.....

I got the new master cylinder from Bruce and when I went to fit it I found it didn't have the 'fork' on the end of the pushrod to join it to the the brake pivot. So I phoned Bruce again and he brought one down to the bike night at Poole Quay, easy when you know the right folks!

Not.

Went out next day to fit the new master cylinder and the pushrod is too long, there's just not enough space or adjustment to sort it anyhow! I thought I'd have to get it over to Bruce and let him do the job but I was talking to Toad and he says why not just shorten the pushrod? Well it's easy when you know how!

Not.

I was at work Sunday so toad came over, collected the new master cylinder from my house, took it home, shortened the rod, brought it back, started to fit it............... and the fitting for the brake pipe was the wrong size. So Toad took the pipe off, went home, made up a new one for me with an end that fit, brought it back to my place again and by the time I got home at half three, he'd fitted the master cylinder and the pipe and bled the brakes and.....

....... I reckon he's a really good bloke and I wanted you all to know!

BTW the different size cylinder is fine, locks the brakes up a treat if I stamp on it, but just brakes beautifully if I treat it normally.

Toad also fitted a new handbrake cable as mine was broken and he had just the part in his emporium I mean garage!

But the horns still don't work and it looks like it's the switch so I've bought the switchgear off Ebay, next instalment coming up when that's fitted!

Top chap is our Mr Toad. Great to know there's still people out there willing to put themselves out to help others.
Maybe you should write a monthly diary for us Bobbi -Travels on my trike.  ;D

More like troubles on my trike atm!

  that will be "travails of my trike" then

oooh, sharp today Mr Brock!   ;)

And you thought I was a pedant!