CSP Rear Disc Brakes - review, installation and impression

[ataraxia]

In August 2015, I did a comparison between the Airkewld and CSP disc brake kits. Once the results of that comparison were completed - I planned to upgrade my rear brakes in the 'near' future. I'm not a fan of drum brakes so this conversion was a matter of time for me.

For review purposes: My car is a 64 Variant S, converted to 12 volt, with the CSP front disc brake kit and mostly NOS rear drum parts with low miles.

I recently purchased the CSP rear disc brake kit and the master cylinder they recommend to go with 4 wheel disc brakes. There has been some debate in the past about whether it’s ‘required’ or not – some believe that the later Type 3 dual circuit master cylinder can be used on a 4 wheel disc brake system. I chose to buy the recommended master cylinder for simplicity purposes and that’s what the review here will discuss.

This will be a multi-part review.

What's in the box:
* Caliper bracket – replaces bearing cover
* Alloy hub/rotor
* Instructions with photos for orientation and confirmation of correct installation (also online as a web page or .pdf download) I found the online instructions printed out were easier to read and follow due to font size.
* Exploded view of how the parts go together
* Brake pads installed in calipers
* Lucas floating caliper with VW logo and parking brake
* Two blister cards of hardware/tools
* Parking brake cables (no sheath – reuse existing sheath)
* Bearings and seals on a separate blister card (not with hardware)
* Rubber brake hoses, metal brake lines and adapter for rear spring plate

What's NOT in the box:
* Lug nuts not included (I used M14 R12 ball seat from Otis LA)

Specifics:
* 14mm stud diameter, uses R12 ball seat lug nut on stock 15" non slot wheels.
* 30mm stud length (measured from the face of the hub to the end of the stud)
* TUV certified
* Cannot be used on 14" wheels or early Type 3 slotted wheels, per enclosed instructions
* Does not add track per enclosed instructions
* Approximate weight per side: 24.5# vs. 23.5# for stock drum
* CSP strongly recommends use of their master cylinder with 4 wheel disc brake systems (will be reviewed in a subsequent post)

The two blister packs - some parts escaped the package (bolts) but kept low and did not damage other parts:

Each rotor/hub is individually packaged in a double wall box (no photo).

The photos below show 'dry fit', not final installation, at this time.

To start - You remove the drum, shoes, hardware, backing plate, wheel cylinder, bearing cover, gaskets/seals until you're down to just the axle, axle tube and the rear bearing. The axle tube end must be cleaned very very well. When I first read the installation instructions - I thought there was no way this was going to seal properly. But it works and doesn't leak at all. Some visual stages of the installation process...

Everything removed - outer o-ring and CSP provided spacer installed:

The instructions state that the included spacer (#7) is only to be used on 1968+ swing axle cars - but this didn't prove true. After the installation, I discovered that the spacer is indeed required. I believe this may only apply to Type 1 installations (large portions of the instructions use/reference the Type 1 vehicles). The snippet of the instructions:

Here's the spacer:

Installing the spacer is simple - just drop it in the bearing bracket:

The caliper bracket mounted - with new seals and spacer:

Stamped/logo'd caliper:

Once you get to this point (everything is mounted but the castle nut isn't torqued to spec.) - grab the top of the hub/rotor and pull towards you and push back against the car. It should not move more than about a 1/16". If, for some reason, you didn't install the 3mm spacer, the whole thing will move in and out 3mm - it's very noticeable. If it moves in/out, you have to take it apart and install the spacer in the bearing bracket.

CSP provides a short flexible hose and a short hard line to reroute the brake line. The short soft hose goes between the supplied bracket on the top spring plate bolt. The short supplied hard line fits between the stock soft hose/bracket on the spring plate and the bracket on the spring plate:

As supplied. I hand bent the hard line because at this point I knew I wasn't going to use it:

Using the stock hard line (hand bent to make it fit) - creates a large loop over the rear axle but it can be done if needed/desired:

Overview of both lines installed using the supplied spring plate bracket:

Rear view of the installed hub/rotor without the parking brake cable installed:

Next update will be the parking brake installation process and the recommended master cylinder...

[EverettB]

I'm no expert here but that rubber line looks like it's curved pretty tightly.
I feel like that would be bad for the rubber and cause accelerated fatigue over time.
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[ataraxia]

[jaxdream]

Does the hard line to soft line use the VW bubble flare or is it more American??? Personally I'd opt to go full hard line to the caliper as the soft line doesn't move in that location.

Jack

[ataraxia]

[raygreenwood]

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[raygreenwood]

[ataraxia]

[raygreenwood]

[ataraxia]

Between house hunting and work I've been absolutely buried so the brakes haven't been finished. I'm hoping to get back to it this weekend.

Ray: I didn't forget about you!

[raygreenwood]

[ataraxia]

[raygreenwood]

Thank you!....that does tell me something. Same bearing cover casting but different machine work.
So the type 3 bearing protrudes outward more....but uses the same thickness backing plate.
So.....I should be able to work with the CSP caliper bracket casting....the stock type 4 stub axle and the type 4 bearing cover.

The rotor position should be the same because we use the same drum and backiny plate. Ray

[ataraxia]

So now that I'm healthy again and my work schedule isn't nuts - I'm waiting for my fabricated brake lines to be ready for pick up. I tried to make the kit parts work together in a way that looks like it'll work long-term but I can't leave it alone.

Goal is to replace the three lines in the photo below with two lines (both stainless braided lines). While it's all apart - I'm having stainless braided lines made for the front disc brakes to remove an adapter.

The plan is to have this all installed mid next week.

[raygreenwood]

[ataraxia]

[Erik G]

have you done stainless braided hoses before? personally, I don't like them. there is no play, brakes seem like they are either on or off

my reference is an MK2 16v GTI that I daily drove. It had been significantly lightened and neuspeed suspension, stainless lines, but was otherwise stock, compared to my mk2 jetta 16v GLI with upgraded corrado brakes and neuspeed suspension but rubber lines

With no ABS I just really felt like my brakes were a switch, all on or all off. like for instance I was taught in a panic stop to slam on the brakes then slightly back off to not lock up. I couldnt do that on the GTI

maybe it's just me. I do prefer the banjo fittings where possible. I remember my first time with a car with those I thought "this is brilliant, why don't all cars use these"...
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[raygreenwood]