brake questions - turbo bug...

vdub2c Magazine Dude

245 posts · joined Oct 2002 · 28 Jan 2003, 9:20 am

#22820

hey y'all,

well i'm pleased to announce that after all the incidents that went on with my turbo bug, it's now back on the road and out of the shop. instead of making up the hybrid porchse/vw bits, i decided to change the whole rear back to 72 bug specs...

anyhow, i've noticed that the brake pedal is really spongey now, and it offeers no resistenace... well maybe a little, but not enough to give me confidence when driving around town... you know with all the good drivers around and all...

any tips or suggestions?

thanks,
Yianni

[Edited on 28-1-2003 by vdub2c]

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 28 Jan 2003, 12:02 pm

#22835

Either rebuild or replace the master cylinder, drain all the fluid and put new stuff in - and BLEED.
Drive it - and BLEED.
Drive it - and BLEED.
Drive it - and BLEED.

Sounds like lots of air in there - it has just had open heart surgery on the brakes - so understandable

Futue te ipsum!!!

vdub2c Magazine Dude

245 posts · joined Oct 2002 · 28 Jan 2003, 1:33 pm

#22852

blue74l wrote:Either rebuild or replace the master cylinder, drain all the fluid and put new stuff in - and BLEED.
Drive it - and BLEED.
Drive it - and BLEED.
Drive it - and BLEED.

Sounds like lots of air in there - it has just had open heart surgery on the brakes - so understandable

One quick, very niave, question though...
How do i bleed the brakes? 🙁

thanks,
Yianni

kombi_kid Moderator Good Kid too many projects

124 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 28 Jan 2003, 2:38 pm

#22863

u own a VW and dopnt klnow how to bleed the brakes!!!!!!!!!!!
ok there is a little inlet valve on the back of the wheel cylinder/caliper (think its about 6mm) and what i made so no air gets back in is a comtainer with a bit of pipe in it which fits over the valve and the container filled with brake fluied.
stick that on open the valve pump the peddel about 5 times then close the vavle do this until nop air bubbles come out in the container.
very brief but enough to do it ill leave the finer details to the pros!
cheers
BACKYARD VW MECHNIC:jesus

it aint just cool its aircool'd

Che Castro ankle straps

1,945 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 28 Jan 2003, 3:00 pm

#22870

the point of bleeding is to remove the braking hydraulics of air and anything other than brake fluid.

1. Try to get all the fluid out of the reservoir (its behind the spare tyre in the boot) either by syphoning. And replace it with clean brake fluid.

2. Get a glass container and fill it a little with clean brake fluid, you need some kind of tubing that will fit over the bleed nipple. The bleed nipple is on the backside of the wheel, its brass coloured and it has a rubber cap on it.

3. Starting with the wheel furthest away from the pedal (its the passenger side rear) connect the tubing to it, with the other end submerged in the clean glass filled with clean brake fluid. Make sure the glass is above the bleeder valve, the purpose of this is so that any air bubbles rise out of the bleeder valve and into the glass. Have a mate push down on the brake whilst u slowly open the valve with a wrench (i think its 6mm or 7mm) just enough so you can see fluid come out. Your mate should depress the pedal and let it rise up on its own. This should be repeated until the fluid that is being pumped is clean and free of bubbles.

4. When it is free of bubbles, your mate should press down again and hold it down whilst you shut the valve and replace the rubber cap.

5. Empty the glass with the dirty fluid and air in it and replace it with clean fluid. Top up the reservoir if needed.

6. Repeat the sequence for the other wheels, the last wheel should be the one that is closest to the pedal, the drivers side front. i.e. the sequence should be rear passenger, rear driver, front passenger and front driver.

Once you've done it once its easy 🙂

Jon

vdub2c Magazine Dude

245 posts · joined Oct 2002 · 28 Jan 2003, 3:24 pm

#22875

KombiKid, i do alot of other stuff on my car... the only ones i try and stay away from is brakes.. i usually have an expert do it... only because, to only thing that stops me from hitting a brick wall in my bug is the brakes.... and i don't wanna stuff it up 😉

now all i need is come brake fluid (any kind recommended?)...

and to find a mate 😉

amazer kombi pilot

3,187 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 28 Jan 2003, 4:52 pm

#22886

Any kind will do. Just so long as its marked DOT4.

Chris.... kombi pilot, oval dreamer... finisher #26971 2005 city to surf

Grey 57 Old Grey Cruiser

2,937 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 28 Jan 2003, 5:49 pm

#22907

Be gentle on the bleeder nipples too. They snap really easily. And when they snap off they are absolute b**tards to repair.
Dean

Che Castro ankle straps

1,945 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 29 Jan 2003, 9:05 am

#23041

oh yeah, buy some spare bleeder nipples as you might find out that some of them are rounded out. Yeah i was a bit hesitant to do my own brake work too at first, but brakes are one of the much simpler things to do on a beetle, cant really go wrong if u follow instructions.

Jon