[T3] Brakes (was Leak under front driver side)

[Dave Hall]

Sorry to hear of the breakage.  
I can't suggest anywhere better than Jim, and being at least 3,000 miles
from you, and maybe 6,000, my suggestions of another source would probably
be on another continent!

Front hoses are easy as they are the same as disc-braked Beetles (in the UK
anyway!).

If you get caught out with a broken bleed nipple, it is possible to remove
the caliper and hang it upside down, then bleed through the drain nipple
instead.  Twin nipple calipers really have one to get air out and one to
drain for renewing the fluid.  The bleed screw has a threaded section, then
a drilling for the fluid to get up inside from the caliper, and a taper that
seals into the drilling.  So rust inside the bleed screw can attack just
where the screw is weakest.

With original style calipers with cut-outs for a triangular shaped piston
retaining plate, the part of the plate with the hole for the pin goes at the
bottom.  This means that a pair with 2 nipples still has a correct side to
be fitted, even though they look as if they can be put either side.  If they
are both identical rather than mirror image, you may have to rotate the
pistons to suit.  If they are later replacements they may just have a flat
plate instead.


Dave.
UK VW Type 3&4 Club
===================

-----Original Message-----
From: type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org
[mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org] On Behalf Of Jacob Adam
Schroeder
Sent: 17 March 2013 22:22
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: [T3] Brakes (was Leak under front driver side)

I will preface this post by saying that I was warned about this ...

I am flushing my system to get rid of the 8 year old DOT 3.  Following the
Bentley procedure, I drained the fluid out through the rear drums first.
No problem (which surprised me seeing how much rust was there -- everything
appeared to be one solid piece of rust).  Now onto the fronts.  The front
driver side caliper had 2 bleeders -- an upper and a lower.  The lower was
lacking the rubber plug on the end.  I tried to turn it, but it was covered
in rust.  I shot it with some penetrating oil and let it sit.  About 10
minutes later, I tried again.  As it started to turn, it all of a sudden
broke loose -- breaking off the valve into the caliper housing.  Doh!  It
didn't even spin because at no point through the rest of the process did
fluid even trickle out of that valve.

On the passenger side, that caliper only had 1 bleeder.  It also lacked a
rubber plug, but I was able to turn it without breaking it.  I understand
that my car should have both an upper and a lower bleeder.  All the DOT 3 is
now out.  Before I begin to refill, on to the questions:

(1) Where's the best place to get a replacement caliper for my driver's
side?

(2) Should I replace the passenger side caliper as well since it does not
appear to be the correct part (only 1 bleeder)?

(3) Are the front rubber hoses readily available that I should just go ahead
and replace these while I'm under there?

(4) Anything else I should be concerned about?

Thank you,

Jacob
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