Technical > Brakes Forum
Holy nightmare Batman! What do folks buy when Beetle disc brakes wear out?
kinggeorge13:
--- Quote from: pittwagen on May 31, 2019, 07:11:01 AM ---You might also want to check your calipers to ensure the pistons return freely and are not extra tight or stuck. Further, if the brake hoses have not been changed for a long time they can collapse internally (no external cracks necessarily) and cause the brake fluid to not return properly when you lift up on the brake pedal, which can make the caliper pistons appear that they are stuck. Been there and learned the hard way!!
Any time I get a vehicle with no brake history, I do a good check and most times I either rebuild the calipers or replace them. Hoses too. FYI.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, I have less than 50/50 faith that the calipers will be good enough to use again but I'll get a better look when I take it all apart. I probably won't rebuild them if they are bad unless they still look pretty good: The last set I looked at rebuilding (bus) had the cylinders so incredibly rusted and corroded I did not believe new parts/rubber were ever going to seal properly again. Plus breaking the cylinders free to get them moving again (using an air hose, goggles, face shield, welding gloves, heavy jacket and a chunk of wood to stop it's travel too far was a moment of excitement I'm not in a huge hurry to repeat. If they look bad inside I'll order replacements. Life is too short. As always bleeding the entire system is always nice and beneficial as well so that's an added bonus. Unless I break off a bleed screw and then it's back to heavy drinking.
Thanks!
-George
BUSDADDY:
Better make friends with those bleeders soon, brake fluid should be changed every 2 years (it picks up moisture from the atmosphere), if you don't know the last time it was flushed do it just because you can.
Suck all the old fluid out of the reservoir with a syringe, refill and bleed each wheel until the stuff coming out looks brand new. Have a helper monitor the reservoir so it doesn't go dry and you won't get any air in the system.
kinggeorge13:
Yep that's the plan. The one trick I've learned and I live by is to plan my brake bleeds a week in advance and start spraying on SeaFoam penetrating oil daily for the week. Overkill? Possibly but I have not yet snapped one off and most of mine look like they were last loosened when hippies first walked the earth.
Bruce:
--- Quote from: kinggeorge13 on June 01, 2019, 06:30:07 AM --- The last set I looked at rebuilding (bus) had the cylinders so incredibly rusted and corroded I did not believe new parts/rubber were ever going to seal properly again.
--- End quote ---
Corrosion in the bore of the caliper body is not a problem. Only the piston has to be smooth and rust free. Unlike an engine where the sealing devices (rings) are on the piston, the seal of a caliper is fixed in the groove in the cylinder, so the piston only has to seal against the rubber seal.
kinggeorge13:
--- Quote from: Bruce on June 04, 2019, 01:02:24 PM ---
--- Quote from: kinggeorge13 on June 01, 2019, 06:30:07 AM --- The last set I looked at rebuilding (bus) had the cylinders so incredibly rusted and corroded I did not believe new parts/rubber were ever going to seal properly again.
--- End quote ---
Corrosion in the bore of the caliper body is not a problem. Only the piston has to be smooth and rust free. Unlike an engine where the sealing devices (rings) are on the piston, the seal of a caliper is fixed in the groove in the cylinder, so the piston only has to seal against the rubber seal.
--- End quote ---
Ok, that makes sense. I'll take a look. Hopefully this weekend. My welding of massive exhaust leaks under Bart the Bus are taking up the next little bit of sunny weather when it returns and then I'll get the Beetle up onto the jack stands. Meanwhile, I've somehow misplaced a fairly large Ar/CO2 gas cylinder for my 110v welder. How exactly do I do that? I can understand the dozens of smaller tools and often parts that I misplace on a weekly basis. But a large gas cylinder that weighs 50+ pounds? What the heck? And because I'm fairly stubborn I refuse to give up and give in and just take the tank off the 220v welder. Nope, not doing that!
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