Anyone got any good pointers for late bay braking system overhaul. As I fix my binding front calliper I am tempted to go through the whole system.
Depends on when it was last done. Two pairs of flexi pipes and a brake pipe kit will replace all your lines Then if you really want to go the whole way: new pads and shoes for front and rear, maybe new discs and drums, could also replace the rear pistons. Depends on what you want really.....
If you have a binding caliper it's time for a thourough check. You probably need to strip the caliper and replace the seals, easy if not corroded. If corroded you might need a new caliper. Whatever you do to the one side you should do to the other to keep it in balance. The MOT requires the pressures to be balanced. New discs and pads are also a good idea as if they have been ignored long enough to bind they will be getting thin. There's a minimum thickness for the disc specified by VW. For a my type 4 engined bus the spec'n is 13mm when new but below 11.5mm they are scrap. Also replace them if they have significant grooves. Play safe here your life depends on these parts. If the fronts are shot I would suggest the back ones are worth checking too. I've put on new drums and shoes on and they are much better. Check the brake pipes, corroded ones are an MOT failure. Make sure that flexible ones are not soggy. I always worry about braded ones as you can't really see what's going on. Don't forget that DOT 4 brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs water) and should be replaced at least every two years, so a thorough bleed is called for. When brakes bind they can get very hot and make the water in the fluid boil. Not good! Hope this all helps
Thanks All. I did do a search and couldn't find anything to take someone through bleeding the system step by step so that was the intention of this post. From what I have managed to access so far it seems that the best method is to detach one corner at a time, replace flex hoses as needed and then tighten the bleed nipple so that some fluid still comes out when you pump the brake. Keeping the brake depressed before you tighten the nipple fully. This is how I have seen it done on a Beetle so am wondering if the procedure is similar.
