Quote Originally Posted by JBridd View Post
Also, I'll probably get a rebuild kit, but if I were to reuse any of the rubber parts, can/should I soak them in the alcohol too? Any advice is much appreciated.
You will get new rubber parts in your master and wheel cylinder rebuild kits. Don't try to reuse any rubber parts - the old rubber is beyond its "use-by" date.

I second GMWillys' advice about honing master and wheel cylinders, and don't be surprised if the bores do not clean up even after being honed. Brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs water) and when a vehicle sits for a long time, water will settle and corrode and pit the bores.

Unless you are very sure that the brake cylinders are OK, the cost of new master and wheel cylinders isn't that big a portion of the rebuild budget. I recommend going new all around if there is any question.

After a discussion from last week on the forum, for a rebuilt brake system DOT 5.1 silicone brake fluid is a good choice. It's expensive, but it only gets changed every five years or so. The silicone fluid doesn't absorb water, so it keep corrosion down in vehicles that sit a lot. And, supposedly, it is compatible with the older glycol based DOT 3 and DOT 4 fluids.

A personal note: From 1965 when I started driving the '48 until it went into hibernation for 35 years, I had limped along with marginal brakes. The drums were turned way oversize and the bores were corroded; so something was always leaking somewhere. A double pump on the brakes was just a way of life to get it stopped.

When we put it back together, one of my first observations was "Dern, it stops now!".

Don't skimp on brakes. We talk about getting our Jeeps to run, but stopping is just as important. As a commercial said a while back "Well, if you do just an OK brake job, something will stop you".

Show us a picture of your Jeepster - an unaltered Jeepster (especially the first generation VJ's) are about as rare as pink unicorns.