Itinerant Air-Cooled

Would you trust them, German but 20+ years old? Rubber and time don't go together.
It is hard to find early Bay front cylinders from Germany that aren't $80 a pop.
I have been using the Varga Brazil ones for years and they seem decent but I'll bet they won't last as long.
Trying to keep Mama Bus original but man it's getting expensive. 4 cylinders in front with those drum brakes...
German flex lines, the best I can do is $20 each. Hopefully this stuff is truly German and not modern, multi-sourced faceless crap.
Thoughts would be appreciated.

Why can't you rebuild your existing German wheel cylinders? Napa and other places sell kits.

I have been thinking about it. I just know the current ones have at least 20 years of hard use on them in this rainy forsaken place.
Really not sure if they're German it's been too long. I don't want old parts to leak brake fluid all over my new clean everything....once I get it all apart I'll know how bad they are. It's just nice starting with ALL NEW sometimes, a treat to a faithful Bus.
I found ATE wheel cylinders, ouch a lotta dough. Were they comparatively expensive in the '70s? Here is the cheapest I could find, tempting:
http://www.new-part.com/product/volkswa ... inders-fte

Will a hone-job last as long as new cylinders? I guess that's really the question. I am doubting it.

Brakes, don't skimp on brakes Muir always said. Important to stop, more than to go. I sound like Yoda.
I'm sure the Vargas are good for a good 10 years, I usually see really old cruddy ones that have failed.
Still, new ATE that's pretty exciting. A soothing thought to fall asleep to. And German hoses.

hambone wrote:Will a hone-job last as long as new cylinders? I guess that's really the question. I am doubting it.

Brakes, don't skimp on brakes Muir always said. Important to stop, more than to go. I sound like Yoda.
I'm sure the Vargas are good for a good 10 years, I usually see really old cruddy ones that have failed.
Still, new ATE that's pretty exciting. A soothing thought to fall asleep to. And German hoses.

Don't lose sight of the fact that modern cars cost plenty in the brake department. Your bus deserves the best quality you can get your hands on, especially as your daily driver. I happily pony up for the superior hydraulic stuff, because it really will last another twenty years +, with clean brake fluid. I see no need to replace disks or drums after the the Road Warrior showed me that rear drums can last 500,000 miles, and disks a good 400,000 + miles.
Now compare that to the disks I have replaced on my BMWs and the Lexus that can't seem to get past 50,000 miles without warping or rusting away.

Honing original cylinders is an excellent option if the bores clean up easily (don't worry about rust pits in the very center where the cups never go). However, if you accidentally increase the inside diameter of the wheel cylinder, you may be prone to leaks.
Colin

Thank you again, you read my mind. Was able to pick up FTE (how can that be, a competitor of ATE?) German, here in Portland for $57 each, just before I checked on here.
I will keep the old ones and see if they are rebuildable.
I have all parts now except rubber hoses, they are pricey too...
The only brake shoes I could find were Chinese. ****.

Just ordered the German hoses from Jbugs, $48 shipped. Hopefully I'll be 60 before they fail. Now that's a frightening thought, especially as our bodies age faster than our cars.
Did you guys know Bus Boys seems to be out of biz? They don't answer their phones.

hambone wrote:Did you guys know Bus Boys seems to be out of biz? They don't answer their phones.

The last time I bought anything from them -- which was as a walk-in customer over a decade ago -- nobody there seemed too interested in being *in* business, so I wouldn't be too surprised to hear they're *out* of business now.

It's a damn shame if true, but...

tristessa wrote:

hambone wrote:Did you guys know Bus Boys seems to be out of biz? They don't answer their phones.

The last time I bought anything from them -- which was as a walk-in customer over a decade ago -- nobody there seemed too interested in being *in* business, so I wouldn't be too surprised to hear they're *out* of business now.

It's a damn shame if true, but...

viewtopic.php?f=69&t=12631#p215423

Listed for sale with ol' Apex there for 1.2MM. That's a lot of old VW bus parts. Another one bites the dust. Wonder what happens to the inventory...

Dang. Didn't know it was official. I'm already trying to buy Interstate in four years....... Now I have to find another 1.2m??

Robbie

Brakes all installed. Sure are purty, too bad they get so nasty.
A broken spring ate the inner hub of the drum in 1/2 at the bearing. Bus had 3/4 VW logoed ORIGINAL wheel cylinders, and W. German hoses...
Just imagine. At least it was a Brazilian drum. (Did you know those stupid late Brazil drums with no bosses to remove the grease camp use a different oil seal? The OD is smaller than stock, why did they do that???"
P.S. i painted the backing plates gray.
Thanks a lot you guys for all the help. It helps. Next I gotta replace the steering coupler, also original...

Steering coupler in an early Bay? Pure hell. 47 year old cotter pins. But guess what that tar-goop saved the day, preserved all the parts like mummies, still shiny new under there. They improved interior-access in the late bays...
It's done. Can you imagine the steering column cover plate was only held on by 1 bolt all these years? Poor Bus.
So much perkier now, happy to have the German drums back on there after 7 years.
4 full days of this! I'm glad to be done.

Don't trust your old brake springs, replace them unless you know they are fresh.

hambone wrote:Steering coupler in an early Bay? Pure hell. 47 year old cotter pins. But guess what that tar-goop saved the day, preserved all the parts like mummies, still shiny new under there. They improved interior-access in the late bays...

I respectfully disagree, captain. The early bay steering box lets you do the entire assembly from below the car; no interior access required. (Photo below.) The late box requires a wobble or U-joint to get a socket on the coupler, and the addition of extra frame horns in 1970 give larger hands more opportunities to invoke swearing.

Early, piece of cake with a stock height car:




I only learned that trick because everyone on The Samba told me to remove some interior pieces and work from inside the bus and NO sorry I don't like extra work for myself.

Robbie

asiab3 wrote:

hambone wrote:Steering coupler in an early Bay? Pure hell. 47 year old cotter pins. But guess what that tar-goop saved the day, preserved all the parts like mummies, still shiny new under there. They improved interior-access in the late bays...

I respectfully disagree, captain.
Robbie

The cotter pins, Robbie, the cotter pins can be hell, regardless of the ease with which you can remove the 13mm nuts/bolts once you have managed to find and straighten the cotter pins, the rusty cotter pins, the pesky cotter pins on oem assemblies.

Late bay buses do let you slide the column support up after removing just two screws, but the early bays had the plastic insulator deal that prevent easy access until you remove the upper steering column support screws and lift the whole thing.
Colin IIRC