Rear Brakes different sizes ?

66Beetle

A2OC Donor
Looking on line ( eurocarparts, eBay ) for new Rear Brake Shoes and Wheel Cylinders even entering the Reg Number there seem to be 2 different sizes Shoes 200 x 40 mm or Shoes 180 x 31 mm. Cylinder Bore 15.87 mm or Cylinder Bore 17.46 mm.

Is there a way to identify which are correct for my 2003 1.4 SE Petrol please ? Not got the A2 here as lent it to daughter while hers is being repaired.
 
Just waiting to find out which Brake Fluid was used when it was changed last May during a Service by Harpers Cumbria. Expect it will just have been DOT 4 ? It wouldn't be normal to use any higher spec. would it ?

I have been warned that I may have to replace the metal Brake Pipes to the Wheel Cylinders. I'll spray the Brake Pipe Unions at that end with Releasing Fluid well in advance and maybe do a " trial undoing " of them. Not seen where the other ends of those two Brake Pipes are, or how long they are yet. Any info please ? The A2 is still out on loan.

Regards,

Steve
 
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Just waiting to find out which Brake Fluid was used when it was changed last May during a Service by Harpers Cumbria. Expect it will just have been DOT 4 ? It wouldn't be normal to use any higher spec. would it ?

I have been warned that I may have to replace the metal Brake Pipes to the Wheel Cylinders. I'll spray the Brake Pipe Unions at that end with Releasing Fluid well in advance and maybe do a " trial undoing " of them. Not seen where the other ends of those two Brake Pipes are, or how long they are yet. Any info please ? The A2 is still out on loan.

Regards,

Steve

Hi Steve,

I wouldn't worry about what brake fluid is in there, with what you are doing it is the perfect time to replace all of the brake fluid that is in there with fresh fluid anyway, you will be losing a fair amount as it is, and it is well worth replacing it (you can never be 100% sure it was done properly last May) and you then have peace of mind that your brakes are sorted?

You would only need to replace the metal pipes if they are badly rusted, or (as you suspect) the connections are so badly seized that the pipe twists when you undo them), by all means replace them if you want to be sure, but I think you may find that they are quite expensive. I have never priced the 1.4 petrol pipes, but the 1.6 ones were very expensive!

Steve B
 
I changed the whole braking system, including all the Piped during the " Body Off " rebuild of my 1972 VW 1600 Variant ( Type 3 ). I have a roll of Kunifer and a roll of Copper Brake Pipe, plus a box of new fittings. I tried using a mechanical Flaring Tool from Screwfix. Found it did not make a good job, so took it back. Bought a Sykes Picavant Hydraulic Flaring Tool instead. That makes a beautiful job.

No way am I going to attempt to do a Full Brake Fluid Change on a " Modern " car with ABS. I have absolute faith that Harpers Cumbria will have done the Brake Fluid Change correctly last May. I am only used to working on any old style Brakes like on the '72 Variant and '66 Beetle. I'll tackle any job on them, as I have worked on those since the 1970s. Before that it was Morris Minors etc. back into the 1960s. I would still be OK with those.

Regards,

Steve
 
Steve, thank you but I'm so useless on line that I have not been able to find it !

The main thing I need to know ( I think ) is how to back of the adjustment to remove the Drums. Never worked on anything with Auto Adjusters ! Morris Minors, Minis, '66 Beetle, '72 Type 3 all easy Manual Adjustment.
 
Steve, thank you but I'm so useless on line that I have not been able to find it !

The main thing I need to know ( I think ) is how to back of the adjustment to remove the Drums. Never worked on anything with Auto Adjusters ! Morris Minors, Minis, '66 Beetle, '72 Type 3 all easy Manual Adjustment.

The best way to find things on here is to NOT use the site search option.

Use Google or similar and enter the following "Audi A2.........." e.g. "Audi A2 rear brake shoes"

It came up with a few, one of which was

http://www.a2oc.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-18709.html

Steve B
 
But releasing the drums is normally achieved by hitting the drum in several places on the side with a heavy mallet (careful with metal hammers on hardened metal such as drums)

The banging helps centralise the drum and shoes.

Steve B
 
OK Found Sarges How To Remove Rear Brake Drums ( Safely ) but that is all it is. How to release the Adjusters. Looking at the Pagid Pre Assembled Rear Shoe Kit, which includes 2 new Wheel Cylinders, it should be straight forward to fit them but how do I adjust them up afterwards. Is it by pumping the pedal or pulling the handbrake ? Do they just sort themselves out ?

Ta,

Steve
 
Did you click on the link I included, that takes you to another thread.

But as for the adjustment, once you have the drum back on operating the handbrake and / or footbrake will automatically adjust the clearance (if it is all assembled properly)

The wedge shaped piece slides down under spring pressure until the shoes are as close to the drum as it should be. (you might have to ensure that the the wedge is NOT pulled down too far or the drum won't go back on. (it is found at the top of the assembly and has quite a weak spring going straight down, the wedge looks more like an upside down kipper tie (for want of a better way of describing it))

If the handbrake cables have stretched you can take out some of the slack by adjusting the cable with a 10mm spanner (once you have pulled out the little cubby hole at the back of the tunnel behind the handbrake lever.

Steve B
 
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This is what the wedge looks like, as the shoes wear down the spring pulls the wedge down and takes up the gap, simple and effective.

brake wedge.jpg

This is an enlarged image of it.

Steve B
 
Thank you.

No I had not noticed the Link, so had not clicked on it. Should be able to sort it now. Got the A2 back off loan tonight. Did a bit of preparation. Took Rear Wheels off. Always a struggle. Sprayed Releasing fluid on Brake Pipe Unions. Checked Brake Drum Screws came out OK.
 
If there is any risk of the wheel cylinder brake pipe being rusted in the tube nut then it's possible to clamp the nut and unscrew the cylinder from it
(Can't recall his name but credit goes to a club member who came up with the novel idea)
May save the time and expense of replacing the brake pipe.

Cheers Spike
 
If the handbrake cables have stretched you can take out some of the slack by adjusting the cable with a 10mm spanner (once you have pulled out the little cubby hole at the back of the tunnel behind the handbrake lever.

In my experience it's not that the cable stretches but that the spring at the hub end gets weaker (and therefore shorter) which has the same effect as the cable stretching.

RAB
 
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