Varga front caliper bleeder valve replacements

hulbyw Insano Dub Head

819 posts · joined Sep 2009 · 28 Jun 2010, 9:59 pm

#787601

Help! Have rebuilt my aftermarket front calipers on my '68 Beetle onlly to find when I filled the resevoir that the top bleeders are leaking on both calipers! These are the 2 pin, twin bleeder valve versions.
I have spent hours on the net trying to find replacement bleeders without success (located some in Poland but the site doesn't appear to ship to Australia)
Anyone know where I could source them? Don't really want to have to buy complete new calipers

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 28 Jun 2010, 11:06 pm

#787618

Fix the problem, can't be that bad.

Sounds odd, but maybe they used to be the bottom bleeders (now fitted visa versa) and if there was gunk in the threads they now don't seal. Remove the valve and clean and check the seating surface of the nipple and the caliper.

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

grumble Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,672 posts · joined Jun 2008 · 29 Jun 2010, 8:52 pm

#787772

If they are the same as a normal bleeder i have some if you need them.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 29 Jun 2010, 11:55 pm

#787804

hulbyw wrote:Help! Have rebuilt my aftermarket front calipers on my '68 Beetle only to find when I filled the reservoir that the top bleeders are leaking on both calipers! These are the 2 pin, twin bleeder valve versions.
I have spent hours on the net trying to find replacement bleeders without success (located some in Poland but the site doesn't appear to ship to Australia)
Anyone know where I could source them? Don't really want to have to buy complete new calipers

try a VW parts shop ... or post some pics on Here...
I always replace the bleeders on My original VW calipers and rear brakes when bleeding them..

do You think they ARE different to a VW bleeder??

or try a car wrecker...??

problem is they aren't worth much so to get anyone to look for You.... may be a problem... not sure whether some parts places have boxes of different bleeders..??

where did you get the calipers??

maybe available from the UK...

cheers

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

hulbyw Insano Dub Head

819 posts · joined Sep 2009 · 30 Jun 2010, 10:40 am

#787858

The calipers are ordinary Varga aftermarket replacements bought years ago from a VW parts guy. They are the same as the 2 pin twin bleeder calipers currently available from Classic Veedub, CIP1 etc. I sourced some bleeders that fit from Better Brakes yesterday however one of the calipers is still dripping from the bleeder so I am about to take it off the car and chack the tapered seat where the bleeder screws in.
Thanks Grumble, I will keep that in mind as the bleeders I sourced yesterday are a bit shorter than the originals and only have a very short section for connecting the plastic tube for bleeding.

vw54 Administrator Always Waiting 4 Friday

16,723 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 30 Jun 2010, 5:17 pm

#787916

try some of the older estabilished Brake shop they may have old stock of the bleedr valve yr looking for

yep check for dirt n crud as well and stick a bit of wire up the galliers as well to make sure there not block or restricted

I read it on FACEBOOK so it must be true

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=91278&page=1#pid848630

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=63561&page=1#pid624099

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=4832&page=1#pid452603

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=60650&page=1#pid574409

hulbyw Insano Dub Head

819 posts · joined Sep 2009 · 30 Jun 2010, 6:35 pm

#787927

Thanks guys for all your advice. When I pulled the caliper off and checked the tapered seat that the bleeder screw seals against, the seat has been damaged (looks like I have been way too heavy handed when bleeding the brakes in the past- very red face) . Brake specialist reckons it is highly unlikely that the seat can be repaired and there is not enough meat around the caliper to bore the hole out , recut the seat and rethread it for a bigger bleeder. One guy did have a solution that I reckon would probably work. He said to cut off the tip of the old bleeder screw then assemble it with a ball bearing between the cut off bleeder end and the caliper seat. Probably crude but effective however I really want the brakes to be spot on, so I have given up stuffing around and ordered new ATE calipers. Expensive option but the car really needs to be back on the road. Hate having my VW gathering dust!

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 30 Jun 2010, 6:47 pm

#787933

Hi

I hate those type of interference fit type fittings..
JIC fittings etc..
You are really using pressure to seal the surface --
metal against metal...

I suppose it is a cheap way of doing it and has been used for over 100 years... lol

but not for something that has to be taken off many times..

My ATF pipes have those fittings and I had them apart many many times... lol

luckily all the brakes are new...

ball bearing to seat in a caliper? YIKES....

LEE

BEST SUMP PLUG I EVER TOOK OFF-
was a TN MAGNA... O Ring seals it... excellent...
hole was machined to take the o ring...

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

grumble Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,672 posts · joined Jun 2008 · 30 Jun 2010, 8:47 pm

#787965

hulbyw wrote:Thanks guys for all your advice. When I pulled the caliper off and checked the tapered seat that the bleeder screw seals against, the seat has been damaged (looks like I have been way too heavy handed when bleeding the brakes in the past- very red face) . Brake specialist reckons it is highly unlikely that the seat can be repaired and there is not enough meat around the caliper to bore the hole out , recut the seat and rethread it for a bigger bleeder. One guy did have a solution that I reckon would probably work. He said to cut off the tip of the old bleeder screw then assemble it with a ball bearing between the cut off bleeder end and the caliper seat. Probably crude but effective however I really want the brakes to be spot on, so I have given up stuffing around and ordered new ATE calipers. Expensive option but the car really needs to be back on the road. Hate having my VW gathering dust!

As silly as it sounds some Mazdas used the flat bleeder with a ball bearing in some models,they were a bugger if you opened the bleeder too far as the ball fell down out of the aperture.

hulbyw Insano Dub Head

819 posts · joined Sep 2009 · 1 Jul 2010, 6:23 pm

#788092

Yes, I figured that would happen which is one of the reasons I didn't pursue that fix. I was told some Enlish cars used the ball bearing as well