Wilwood Dynalite Brake Upgrade

[GS guy]

Yea - I think my previous issue was the new beam I bought with pre-installed adjusters was set up lower than stock - in the highest adjustment position.
Dropped spindles - just be aware that these lower the ball joints relative to the wheel. With higher positive offset wheels they can come really close or rub the lower ball joint. Just check the clearance stock, and down from the lower BJ 2.5".

[kangaboy]

Well I got a hold of Vintage VDubs and they said switching out the rotor was no problemo. So now that I got that taken care of, time to order some stuff up and get going on rebuilding the front beam. Still need to do a little research and find out which wheel cylinder I can put in back. Hoping I can just swap the front ones out and put them in the back. That would be nice.

[Piledriver]

On the later model setups its simply moving the front brake cylinder to rear brakes.
Not sure what you are running.

If you want too see how I did Mk4 rear calipers, see type3 forum.

They worked well but I think I had too much caliper piston area up front, and always using the parking brake is required for them to self-adjust.
They are what comes on most kits w/parking brake.
Get the aluminum ones, maybe just buy some remans, also grab the mount.
The jetta mount frames work better than Golf if you are making your own brackets.

[kangaboy]

On the later model setups its simply moving the front brake cylinder to rear brakes.
Not sure what you are running.

No clue why my signature went away on the previous posts, but I have a '74 standard.

With the updated calipers up front, and the larger cylinders in back, will the stock late model dual circuit master cylinder be big enough to move the appropriate amount a fluid around? Assuming all brakes are adjusted correctly, I wouldn't see it causing a problem, but I figure better to ask now than figure it out later.

[Piledriver]

Stock 19mm master is fine if the piston sizes are sane.
I have 4x1.25 piston wilwood superlites up front, and 944T/928 28mm x4 Brembos out back.
Stock 19mm cylinder, SS flex lines, nice high, hard pedal.

[kangaboy]

I finally pulled the trigger and placed my order for the front disc kit from Vintage V-Dubs. Felt good with my choice, until I looked up the sites shipping address, and happens to stumble on this Google reviews. 9 out of 10 were 1 star. Went to TOS to check their seller feedback...9 out of 10 were terrible again...my heart kinda stopped for a minute. I know most people that have good experiences don't leave feedback, so I'm taking it with a grain, but man, dropping $1k on a front brake kit make me very nervous in the first place. I mean the only part they make in house would be the mounting bracket, so I'm just hoping for the best. Anyone else have experience with them?

Edit: idk if this is an inappropriate spot to post this, so mods feel free to move it. I will of course update with arrival and install.

[GS guy]

Hmmmm.... hate to say but not looking too good on feedback:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewt ... &start=420

Always a good idea to check feedback on a vendor before dropping any $$$. I admit you really have to "read" into the posts, sometimes there are underlying issues with the buyer - but you can usually get a read on the seller with enough feedback (good or bad). I'd be looking to cancel that order and make sure the credit card wasn't already billed.....

"You pays yo monies, and takes yo chances!

[kangaboy]

...hope it's not too late when I call to cancel tomorrow then.

[Piledriver]

CB has a really nice set of aluminum front hubs and rotors, ~$260 (BJ or KP spindle)
Set of 1.380" x .380 Dynalites probably $300 or less
There are multiple caliper options in those sizes at various price points, IMHO 1.25" is probably more like the right piston size. there are also multiple mounting setups/mount hole spreads etc.

Its also likely (but not proven) the CB aluminum hubs could be easily modded for std vented calipers of some flavor.
Almost went there. May yet, as the KP setup is also "combo" larger spindle compatible with the combo bearings.

You'd have to weld or bolt on caliper brackets for whatever caliper you choose but they are cheap, premade and can be purchased from many sources..

[Piledriver]

I still had just a touch too much front bias with the 944T rears and OE Pagids, just upsized my rear calipers to 944T fronts and installed 2PSI valves and replumbed for front/rear circuit...
Calipers now are just a hair smaller than my Superlite 4x1.25" fronts, had too much rear bias with the oe Pagid pads, but the mintex reds brought everything into nice balance, with PFC 14s up front.

[FJCamper]

Hi Piledriver,

You wrote you had a 19mm master cylinder with your brake configuration.

Are you using a residual pressure valve or valves anywhere in your system?

FJC

[H2OSB]

Its also likely (but not proven) the CB aluminum hubs could be easily modded for std vented calipers of some flavor.
Almost went there. May yet, as the KP setup is also "combo" larger spindle compatible with the combo bearings.

I spotted those hubs as well. I was looking at using 912 front rotors (long story) so I did the hard court press asking about them. The bolt circle for the black replaceable, cross-drilled rotors CB makes is 4.5 inches. They created those hubs/rotors because their source for blank rotors to do different bolt patterns has dried up. CB will NOT sell the hubs without the rotors, but even with the rotors, they're quite a bit less expensive than any source for custom made hubs. I don't know the bolt circle for Porsche for rotors but it looks close. Btw, CB WILL sell those black rotors not cross drilled, though no price break was mentioned (I hate and fear cross drilled rotors, unless the holes are cast in).

H2OSB

P.S. correction...i looked back through my email on this. I was told the bolt patterns is "about 4.25"

[Piledriver]

If you go there, please post pics/dimensions at least of the hubs, I want to run wilwood rotors on them, even if it requires adapters.

I couldn't get any info at all out of CB other than price, so I canned the idea, but they are potentially a great solution, and i'd greatly prefer those to rolling something fully custom.

[kangaboy]

Got my brake kit (thankfully), and got it all installed. There was some hardware that came with it that I opted to just use the original stuff, and the bracket was wonky as hell. I had to grind a bit of it for the caliper to even mount to it, and had to file open some of the mounting holes to mount it to the spindle...but a few hours later and I had both sides together.
I'm having quite a time bleeding the new system. I purchased new stainless flex lines for the front, and knew there would be quite a bit of air in them.
Initially I bled the front right (passenger), followed by the front left (driver), with little to no luck. I stuck the pressure bleeder on there but it seemed like it did nothing, so I went back to the old fashioned way and had the wife come out and help pump the brakes. This time I started with back right, back left, front right, then front left. It seemed to go ok, and the pedal was building pressure farther and farther up the stroke when I was doing the back ones, but once I got to the front right and did that one, the pedal went to the floor again. Continued with the fronts and the pedal never came back. It was getting late so I called it a night.
Is there something that I am missing here? Wouldn't think the bleeding procedure would be any different with a pair of discs. I'm only bleeding the top bleeder valves of the Wilwoods. Another thing I noticed is that the front right disc is pretty tight after bleeding. The front left spins fine with a little resistance, but the front right is pretty stiff. Which makes me wonder if there is another issue, as the front right drum I had on there would lock up after a long drive with stoplights on the route. Master cylinder issues?

Edit: I'll try the gravity bleed procedure for a while on each wheel, starting with the fronts and moving to the backs (because dual-circuit master cylinder). Then I'll do another pump session for the final bleed.

Edit 2: After completing that last edit, I immediately wondered if by not following the dual circuit-master cylinder procedures (fronts, then backs), if that was a direct cause of the soft pedal after trying to do the fronts after the backs. The wife said the pedal was starting to build pressure after we completed the fronts and moved to the backs. Then after trying to do the fronts again it all went away. I'll still do the gravity bleed for a little bit on all cylinders, then final bleed the fronts, followed by the backs.

[66brm]

I had a hell of a time trying to get a friends 4 pot willwoods to bleed up, ended up being a bubble caught in the master cylinder, my own single pots bled up like stock drums. Keep at it and something will work, both had dual circuit masters