The Centipede aka my new 1988 m35a2c

[peashooter]

I've been working indoors these last few days with the cold weather we're having. I'm starting to bend the new brake lines for around the MC and airpacks.

I have 2 axle ends left and a bunch of tires to change, I'm slowly breaking them down and cleaning up the rims.

I found a reference in a brake thread to a new make dual master cylinder since I couldn't find NOS version. A big bonus is the price; $119 + core charge
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NMBP8553

Differences that I've found are the top embossing and the port sizes though a quick trip to my local brake supply shop hooked me up. I am remaking all my lines using 7/16's fittings so the adapter I bought won't work for the standard Air Force model. You may be able to find an adapter for the stock fittings but you'll likely have to replace those lines anyways because the adapters will change the line geometry.



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Something I've found with the remanufactured MC's is that they usually replace the original reservoir with a Chinese one which works out nice because they have the magnetic float inside of it so you can add a low fluid switch to that D-shaped hole on the bottom center of the reservoir. The original US made reservoirs only had the float switch on the larger reservoirs and never on these shorter ones. Try tipping the unit upside down and see if you can hear anything move, if you can it probably is the reservoir's float! Below are some pictures of reservoirs with the switch.

 

[zanther]

well that's handy! I'll check it out when I get home

 

[zanther]

Sure enough! It's got the float.

I'm assuming they complete a ground circuit, similar to the parking/ebrake? Any advice on a model that works with these "D" shaped tunnels? The ones I'm seeing have a set of clips on the far end of the sensor but my tunnel doesn't go all the way through. Edit: a bit more careful looking and I see an access port on the under side of the res, close to the main bore. Seems like it'd need a clip on the bottom. I may just have to go down to the autoparts store and hunt around... if they'll let me.

 

[peashooter]

Sure enough! It's got the float.

I'm assuming they complete a ground circuit, similar to the parking/ebrake? Any advice on a model that works with these "D" shaped tunnels? The ones I'm seeing have a set of clips on the far end of the sensor but my tunnel doesn't go all the way through. Edit: a bit more careful looking and I see an access port on the under side of the res, close to the main bore. Seems like it'd need a clip on the bottom. I may just have to go down to the autoparts store and hunt around... if they'll let me.

The switch just pushes into the hole. There are some fingers at the end of the switch that hold it in place. Its just a 2 pin switch and when the fluid level is low the switch closes and completes a path. So you could run a wire from one pin to ground and the other to your existing dash "Brake" warning light or add a separate light.
I searched google for "hydromax fluid switch" and came up with a few items. some part numbers are: 19301984, 15620028. I found some on ebay when searching "15620028". They are around $20-$30.

https://www.millsupply.com/low-fluid-sensor-switch-reservoir-36987.php?p=509

 

[zanther]

Thanks! I was looking at those and trying to figure out how the clips engaged. I didn't want to buy a couple of sensors before I found the right one!

That's exactly the plan I was thinking of regarding the warning light.

Cheers,
Mel