thaduke 

I have a beautiful Meidai Top Super floor pump with chrome barrel and I need the leather washer
for the inside. I have no Idea where to find one. Any info would be helpful. This pump is like new
condition but no longer useful without the washer.

HillRider

I just checked Loose Screws and Bike tools Etc and neither has parts for the Meidai pump (also sold under the Cyclepro brand name and possibly others). These pumps have been out of production for years and parts are getting real hard to find. Mine is over 20 years old and is on only it's second washer but when that goes, I'm probably out of luck.

Try all the older LBS's you can locate and see if one of them has the washers in their NOS supplies.

Also, you may be able to salvage the current washer by lubing it with silicone grease to get it to seal if it's not too far gone.

tellyho

Would Silca parts fit?

Grand Bois

I've always used the same squirt can of motor oil on my Top Super's plunger that I use for my old Coleman stove and lantern pumps. They all have leather plungers and the oil seems to make them swell. I don't know if motor oil is the the best thing to use, but I've had them all since the '70s.

Grand Bois

Do you happen to know the i.d. of the barrel on a Silca pump?

eddy m

Silca parts don't seem to fit. I've had the same Medai pump for 35 years, but I'm going to toss it out because I can't find a washer.

em

rodrigaj

I had one until last year and searched everywhere for the leather washer, to no avail.

I actually kept mine around for 2 years in the hope that I would find spare parts for it. I tried cutting a piece of thick leather, but the original looks like it was formed piece with a "cup" or "funnel" design.

I ended up throwing it out and purchasing a new pump. Sad, because it was such a nice pump. Good Luck.

HillRider

Silca parts won't fit. I just measured the OD of both my Meidai Top and my Silca Pista and the Silca barrel is significantly smaller in diameter. We are all out of luck when the current parts wear out.

Grand Bois

That sucks! I love that pump.

thaduke 

It is a classy pump indeed, hate to toss it.

stokessd

Have you called around to some hydraulics type places? they probably don't have what you need, but they may have a good idea of who to call. Also, how about a cobbler? At tis point you'v got nothing to loose.

Sheldon

mtblurkr

This guys have a o-ring replacement for the medai pump leather washer.

https://www.yellowjersey.org/pumpbits.html

Grand Bois

Mine still works like new after 35 years! I was just looking for a spare just in case.

I have to admit that it doesn't get much use since I bought a compressor.

mtblurkr

Not sure if this Pyramid pump is the same as the Medai, but it looks like the Medai pump.

Pyramid pump

Grand Bois

I think you're right. It looks just like it to me. Now to find parts for Pyramid pumps.

This thread is a year old, but that's okay. We're getting somewhere.

mtblurkr

Thanks A.Winthrop. I replaced my leather washer with the O-ring upgrade from yellowjersey.org. It works good now.

AJBK

(I apologize for reviving this old thread. I'd like to document this here in case someone needs to replace the leather washer/cup as I did.)

I stumbled upon a MDI pump in good shape. The leather washer/cup still works but will need to be replaced soon. I was successful in using the following procedure to make a new one. Total time was less than an hour:

- Material: 2-3 mm thick leather. I used an old straight razor strop. I believe an old belt or shoe may also work

- Cut the leather into a round disk; 8mm wider than the piston inner diameter. Use scissors to cut the disk and a box cutter or razor to cut the center hole

- Soak the leather disk in hot water (from tap, not boiling) for 5-10 min

- Disassemble the pump. Remove the original leather cup

- Using hands, fingers, and whatever tools you may have on hand, shape the leather disk into a cup. This may take about 10 min. Re-soak the leather if necessary. The rough side of leather is the cupped side (down when installed)

- Install the new cup on the pump rod with the original two metal washers and nut

- At this point, the new cup's diameter will be about 3mm too large. Use a hose clamp to form/compress the leather cup to the correct size

- Remove the hose clamp. Coat the leather cup with grease (I used white lithium grease)

- Assemble the pump. Pump may not work initially. Wait a few hours for the leather cup expand to its final shape forming a proper seal. Also apply more grease if needed

FBinNY 

Open it up and accurately measure the bore of the cylinder. Odds are that it'll be the same as some other currently produced pump, so you can use that piston.

fietsbob

Keeping Grease on the leather cup, air seals it well .. but I know the wear life is not infinite.

The same company in Wisconsin that makes the selle anatomica saddles
was a specialist in leather pump cups and shaft packing seals,for decades .

https://www.monarch-mclaren.com/

To order, take your pump & Measure the dimensions, they request,
they make a vast number of sizes.

Soil_Sampler

$5.50 per cup, $50 set-up fee and $5.95 handling fee. shipping...?

fietsbob

So they don't have anything close, in inventory? prices go down for 100? you might have a replacement parts exclusive .

might go DIY, circle of leather, soak it wet, force it in a shape you need, let it dry..
then grease it before use?

HillRider

All of these custom leather cups should be moot if you are willing to spend $20 for the O-ring replacement offered by Yellow Jersey. The link is in posting #12 above.

Soil_Sampler

yes, they sent me a picture of the o-ring kit.
no.
yes, 50,100,200 break points.
somebody else(business)can do that.

Leta

Yeah, that.

fietsbob

I put some boot grease on the original leather pump cup, occasionally, and it keeps working , for 30 years, now..

amazing what a bargain, a little maintenance is , in the long run..