356 brakes

[judkrasa]

Is anyone out there driving a VW with 356A or B brakes? I have mostof a complete set now - missing a rear drum - and need recommendations on getting wheel cylinders (new or resleeved? best price?) and any upgrade ideas from the stock 63 VW bug master cylinder. Also any info on steel braid brake line and getting shoes relined.

I've heard these can be polished up - how is that done?

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[i] WANTED: 40Hp VW performance
parts - esp. KS / Mahle 83mm big bore
piston kit for VW1200[/i

[ViolentBlue]

aluminum polishing is very easy to do, I'm polishing my case right now, and will be polishing my empi 5 spokes as soon as I'm done.

first thing to do is use a motorised dremmel with medium sandpaper to clean up any casting lines, in the case of the brake drums you shouldn't have to do this.
next go to it with 320 grit sandpaper, getting everything smoothed nicely
then take a high speed drill and polishing wheel. using aluminum polishing compound go to it untill its perfect.
there may be some deeper scraches left over that you missed with the 320 first time around, do those spots again with 320 and polish again.

I've actually found that for larger surfaces (ie no small details) that denim tends to polish very nicely, cut between 6-8 circles of denim (old pants work good) about 6" in diameter poke a hole in the center of each. slip a small bolt through the holes of the circles, with a washer on each side, tighten a nut on the backside and tighten in the check of your drill. Makes quite a mess from the lint as the denim wears down, but it polishes nicely, and can even be used to get inbetween the cooling fins on the bottom of a case.

VB

[This message has been edited by ViolentBlue (edited 02-20-2000).]

[danw]

Just this last weekend I installed a pair of 356A Break Drums and backing plates on my 1967 Beetle rear axles. It worked out well. The drums were from, I think a 1958 or 9 Coupe. They look like the ones on my 1957 356A Coupe but the Oil catcher is built in on these. As it turned out I needed to find rear wheel bearing covers from an earlier bug as the 67 Beetle's have an oil catcher built into the wheel bearing cover which won't clear the 356 Rear Drum. Everything else fit perfict, even the vw wheel cylinder internal parts fit the 356A Wheel cylinder.

I need to find a new set of brake shoes for this project myself. I know my local auto parts store can send the shoes out for relining but they want $60 or $70.

Tomorrow I am going to give Easy Auto Parts in Oakland a call 510-653-5733 and check on new or rebuilt Shoes. They had quit a lot of 356 parts when I was there last year and may have some used wheel Cylinders and Drums.

The Beetle feels more stable when braking at high speed but still needs more rear braking to match its SO Cal front Disc brakes. I think new shoes will do this.
Good Luck DanW