Brakes

[v-lux]

My discs and drums were getting rather tired, not to mention how badly worn the rear shoes were, so i bit the bullet and went for an upgrade.

Very pleased with it i am too.
To be honest i didnt really expect it to be all that different once fitted, but i liked the idea that all the parts are readily available off the shelf for the foreseeable future.I had also got SO fed up with having to empty the mud from the rear drums and adjust the brakes everytime id been out offroading, even with the plugs in them, it still gets in there.

So ive got discs all round now and the difference is great, i no longer have to stamp on the pedal to get decent braking out of it, i just rest my foot on the pedal. The handbrake actually works very well now too which is a bonus!

Still got some bedding in to do i suppose but the braking is significantly improved already.
Big thanks to Futbus (dave) for supplying all the necessary parts and knowledge for the conversion! Top job!

Here's a couple of piccys

[John Potter]

What are you doing about the front / rear pressure balance ?
A long time ago when I was young and stupid (1980's) I had a Scirocco MK2 GTi Enginering 2 litre conversion with a big brake kit and the back would lock up and slide very easily after the kit was fitted (eventually had a big crash but thats another story). I should have had the brake pressure limiter replaced / adjusted as the flaming thing stood on its nose under heavy braking....

[John Potter]

Although a van aint going to do that nose stand bit of course or will it.........

[jed the spread]

Vented fronts too, very nice i like IT.

jed

[syncropaddy]

They look like Golf rear calipers. Are they?
Id like to know how they perform once bedded in. I have an SA Big Brake kit for mine up front and I was looking down the 16" drum route for the rear but to change the bearing carriers was almost the same money as doing a disc conversion. I have discs that will fit the rear and doing the machining on the hub is easy enough. The caliper bracket is a little more complicated though as is connecting the handbrake cable but it can be done. There is a Dutch guy on Syncro25 who used Golf calipers and his system looks almost identical to yours.

[v-lux]

Dave (Futbus) gets handbrake cables made up specifically for the task. Very nice twin walled outers, very heavy duty! The cables have also been rerouted over the top of the swingarms to keep them out of harms way.

Cant remember what calipers Dave said were on the back, fronts are golf GTI.

[v-lux]

Here's a pic of the handbrake cable before IT was rerouted.


And here's one showing the reproduction CV joint protectors

[..lee..]

i`m hoping to go rear discs soon too. are the rear calipers of a front engine car. i`ve experianced accelerated rear pad wear when useing calipers and pads of that type on vehicles that run more breaking effort to the rear than the car they came off. saying that this was when rallying and i doubt the brakes would have been abused to that extent on the road.

what sort of milage do you get out of those rear pads.

cheers lee.

[v-lux]

I think the rear calipers are indeed off of a front engine vehicle. (not many around with it in the back these days huh)

But the front and rear calipers were selected due to piston size i believe. So that the fronts and rears are matched as they were previously.
This also means that the master cylinder stays the same as it only has to move the same amount of fluid.

More info here: http://www.futbus.com/Brake-conversion- ... e-Kit.html

Anyone thinking of upgrading/refurbing their brakes, id recommend giving Dave a call, he knows his onions when it comes to brakes!!

[Yozza]

Great pics. Regarding the CV protectors, did you source these from the UK? I'm after a pair, but I'm also considering making some for myself, and anyone else - if interested? Economies of scale and all that!
Cheerz

[v-lux]

I got the CV protectors here: http://www.futbus.com/Syncro-special-pa ... -Pair.html

Pretty much an exact copy of the original ones, except it has stainless bits and powder coating. Perfect fit!

[sonic23]

i'll second the quality of Dave's work.
I've got one of his front disc conversions and also the CV protectors.
Very happy I am too - especially that all the parts are off the shelf VAG.

Rich

[v-lux]

Blimey!!

Anyone thinking of converting might want to take advantage of this!!

https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=61290

[Aidan]

Lot of interest from SA group, but too expensive for them even with the discount I think, and a long way to send the exchange units; just a shame there's no upgrade that will go on the van that allows 14" wheels and I'm not sure if these fit over mefros - anyone know for sure, I know the quattro calipers don't as AndyMc went with them and had to change rims.
Alan you on mercs ? which et ?

[v-lux]

Dave has made a conversion for 14" now. He's just developed it for a customer who wanted to keep his original vw alloys! Not on his website yet, but i am kicking his a*** to sort that out! (Arn't i Dave!!)

Im running Merc's. The ones i'm using right now are 6.5J ET37 and there's no problems with clearance at all.

However i am swapping to 7J ET25 (also Mercs) ive tested them for clearance and they fit also.