73 vw brakes vs newer

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

On Sep 7, 9:18*pm, "LLBrown" > wrote:
> 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

"LLBrown" > wrote in message
...
|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


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.

On Sep 7, 6:18*pm, "LLBrown" > wrote:
> 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

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.

On Sep 18, 3:53�am, "
> wrote:
> On Sep 7, 6:18�pm, "LLBrown" > wrote:
>
> > 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
>
> 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.`

On Sep 18, 4:28 am, " > wrote:
> On Sep 18, 3:53 am, "
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> > On Sep 7, 6:18 pm, "LLBrown" > wrote:
>
> > > 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
>
> > 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.

AircooledJohn wrote:
> 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

> wrote in message
...
>
> 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.`

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.

"AircooledJohn" > wrote in message
...
>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.

LOL, John... I was going keep quiet about that since I'm (rightfully)
accused of being a smart ass often.