I just got my Thing running after MANY years in the garage. The brakes feel really bad, I have to really push to get a result and the braking is just not up to what I expect.
Were VW brakes from the 70s just poor compaired to today's or is there something going on that needs attention?
How would you describe "normal" braking on a 73 VW?
LLB in Laredo
Something isn't right.
The brakes in my 71 Super are stock and they feel fine. The pedal pressure is a bit higher than my Jeep (which has power brakes), and of course having front drum brakes it doesn't stop quite as well, but the stock VW brakes work fine.
Have you done anything with those brakes? At the very least you should pull the drums, clean everything up, including the wheel cylinders and then bleed and adjust them.
What you really should do if the car has been sitting for many years is rebuild all four wheel cylinders, replace the rubber hoses, and flush the system so it has all new fluid. The steel lines ought to be carefully examined too, as they will rust and can fail (which as I can tell you from experience can be quite exciting!)
Good luck and keep us posted!
Jeff DeWitt
Been years but MY experience VW flex lines and other rubber tend to swell over time. Don't know if it time or lack of use.
I made it a policy to replace all flex lines as well as the slave and master cyl on all my rebuilds.
I have a late model Beetle that sat in the garage for 5 years. I took it to my mechanic and he found that 3 cylinders were leaking brake fluid. All on the drivers side. The fluid was contaminating the brake linings causing the brakes to grab and it caused the car to pull to the side when braking. It also made the brakes lock up easier even though I wasn't pressing on them that hard.
$600 dollars later the car runs perfectly fine. It's amazing what a quality brake job can do. My mechanic used only quality original parts from Germany.
Did your mechanic give you the option of front disc brakes? Any time I do complete brake jobs I suggest a Top Lines conversion, the front kit is less then $400 and comes with everything including braided steel lines to replace the rubber.`
Is this before or after you financially rape them for a bondo-caked paint abortion?
I find 3 leaking cylinders on the driver's side interesting, since the car only has 2 on the driver's side. Is your "mechanic" named Mario by any chance?
John Aircooled.Net Inc.
I was wondering about that myself. Maybe one was the master cylinder, it's located on the driver's side.
Les
while i agree that disc brakes are better(for me) they are not original for those that want originality, and topline only sells vw parts... "late model Beetle" likely isn't a superbeetle, unless the poster wasn't specific.
LOL, John... I was going keep quiet about that since I'm (rightfully) accused of being a smart ass often.
Better then being a dumb ass.
Randy
Randy, that's always been my belief too.... being a "smart ass" is only frowned upon by those that end up on the butt end of the jokes.... the rest just laugh...LOL
Maybe thats why all my neighbors call me Dumb ass. That and Randy 7 Dogs.
Randy
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