Can we talk MK1 brakes for a second?

[Jace]

That sounds like a good option Mark. I'll get onto them once I've got another permit. :roll_eyes:

Peter, thanks a lot for that!
I wasn't aware you'd written up so much on it/everything. I did look, obviously not hard enough!

[Peter Jones]

Yeah I do carp on a lot. Must be the dementia setting in.

In your situation I'd just concentrate on making the car roadworthy.

Pull the discs off, (it's not much harder than changing a tyre) and take them down to a brake place they'll tell you straight away if the discs a thick enough to be machined.

If you do get them machined replace the pads at the same time.Your brake place can get them, they're not rare. Take one of the old ones with you for comparison, ideally one with a legible part number.

Again if it were my car I'd probably replace the front brake hoses too, the brake place can make those too.

All the exact details of all that stuff are in the threads above somewhere, use the search within thread function to save yourself reading the entire saga.

Once the car's on the road keep an eye out for GTI or other brake upgrade bits as they pop up in the for sale section and on eBay.

Pete

[Jace]

That sounds like good advice Peter.

I haven't looked at it too hard, but the calipers look different to what I've slid off before.
I actually tried sliding the caliper off the disc (i assume it's not the best/good way to do it) without really releasing the caliper at all.
The lip around the disc physically stopped me from doing that anyway. I just bolted the caliper back on and forgot about it.
I guess I need to separate either side of the caliper to change pads/remove caliper in my case.

[Jarred]

just get some new disc and pads, and it should be all sweet.

a booster and master cylinder upgrade will make the brakes feel like they're from this centuary and dramatically improve stopping distance. Add GTI or old audi calipers (with vented 239mm discs) in the future if you want some more.

[Jace]

I don't know if I'll make this car very sporty. Maybe handling > power if I do, brakes might see an upgrade like that.

So bugger it, for now I will just to the discs and pads, and adjust the push-rod across the firewall. I'll also learn the fluid system and get some quality fluid in there because it makes a big difference yeah?

Thanks for your help guys.

[Jarred]

yep, spend some time going over the lines and joints, checking for leaks etc Also the reservouir & cap. Whack some good fluid in (I use castrol Super DOT4) and it should be pretty good. Don't be afraid to spend a bit of time bleeding it too, make sure you get all the old crap out of the lines, since you never know what it was done last. Always you ring spanners when doing brake line nuts, don't want any rounded nuts now!

[Jace]

I've got a set of Sidchrome ratchet spanners... they're among the best **** i own!

So bleeding them. I just undo the lines at the discs and drums and pump the pedal yeah?
So n00b haha.