[T3] 412 Brake Caliper Question

[Jim Adney]

Those of you who have studied Type 3 brake calipers know about the 
little spring loaded compensating mechanism that lives inside each 
brake caliper piston. That mechanism was OE for all VW Type 3 
calipers.

Late ('71.8-'73) Type 3 calipers have larger pads and are the same as 
early Type 4 and early 914/4 front calipers, and I believe those Type 
4 and 914/4 calipers came with the same mechanisms.

Late (~'72.8-'74) Type 4s and 914s came with slightly larger calipers 
that take thicker pads and have longer pistons, to give longer pad 
life. They have the same mounting bolt pattern, but, no, they won't 
fit earlier Type 4s or any Type 3s. (The spacing from the mounting 
plane to the rotor is different.)

I recently got some of those late Type 4 calipers and found that they 
looked to be completely original but they didn't have the internal 
compensating mechanism. Nor did they have the pistons which could 
have accomodated that mechanism.

Does anyone know if these late Type 4/914 calipers would have come 
originally with that mechanism?

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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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