Potentiallly all-VAG new rear brakes for urQ and 4000Q

[laraa at sympatico.ca]

Hi all,

My 1983 urQ (with the early style rear calipers, pre-1984) is now under
surgery : we are trying to install some New-Beetle/Golf IV/Jetta IV aluminum
calipers. These are cheap, even loaded with pads and carriers, easily
available and more important, new ! I paid 165$ each, complete new with pads
and carriers.

Note : the links in the text are only there for their good pictures, that's
it.


So far, the calipers
(http://www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-New_Beetle--2.0/Braking/Calipers/ES2593
82/) are on the car, albeit without the nice new sliding pin carriers that
came with the calipers
(http://www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-New_Beetle--2.0/Braking/Calipers/ES4502
/). However, the NB caliper bolts directly to the urQ carriers. That is plan
A, the easiest.

Pan B is a little more involving : If your carriers are too worn, then one
can install the shiny new NB carriers by machining the mounting surface by
about 12 mm and still use the standard urQ rear discs. Easy for any good
shop.

Plan C is to bolt the carriers without any modification (except longer
mounting bolts, you need M10 x1.25 x 30mm) but you then must use the Passat
Synchro rear discs (8D0 615 601A) which are 12 mm less deep than the
standard urQ rear discs (437 615 601). Wheel spoke clearance might be an
issue with the stock 6 in or Fuchs 7 in wheels, but I'm not even sure.

Brake hose : I've used some Passat rear brake hoses, since the NB calipers
use a bigger (12mm) hole than the old Audi caliper (10mm). 4B0 611 775C is
perfect, and it even comes with the correct banjo fitting with a new bolt
and crush washers. See a similar hose here :
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/8e0611775j/ES8932/ but beware that it's not
the correct hose, this one here is too short. 
The correct 4B0 611 775C hose is identical, but longer.


Now, the big part : the parking brake. I'm in the middle of terminating this
with very little mods. I'm using 4000Q 85-87 stock rear brake cables which
are correct for the chassis and, obviously, stock calipers. It looks these
will fit the stock NB calipers, but with some light modifications (cable
will reach the caliper from top, instead of bottom as on the NB). We are
using some VW Golf clutch cable fittings
(http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/171798105/ES251092/) to install the stock
cables backwards in the caliper's bracket. Don't be afraid by the ECS tuning
price : I paid 4.20$ each at my FLAPS for 2 Topran kits # 102 648 755.

Look again at this picture, for clarity :
http://www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-New_Beetle--2.0/Braking/Calipers/ES25938
2/ 
What we want to do is weld a big washer on the pivoting arm, slide the cable
sheat in there, and then block the cable ball end in the big hole at the
bottom with the VW clutch thingy. This way, the cable will be more or less
in the same spot as before, but we need a way to bend it permanently at 90
degrees to clear the half-shaft, strut and various other bits. I'm working
on something, but if you have an idea... go ahead.

Since this is not completed yet, I'll let the list know how it goes. It
looks indeed that finally, my car will get effective and long-lasting rear
calipers for the first time in years.

Louis-Alain