disc brake caliper help!

nickdini · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 4:02 pm Post subject: disc brake caliper help!

hey does anyone know what calipers will work with the empi wide five drop spindle kit. my car is fully bagged and i have my front upper control arms wrap around the bags, so they bend the opposite way from the original arms. when i have the car laid out everything works grate. but when i raise it i have clearance issues with the brake line inlet hitting on my upper arm. i need to find a caliper that will bolt up but has the brake line inlet in a different location?
this is with the car lowered i have room for a brake line
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but when i raise the car there is no room
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Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 1950

Looks like if you swap left and right calipers your problem would be solved.

nickdini · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 4:12 pm Post subject:

yah i thought of that but if i flip them then the bleeder would be above the brake line so i dont think i will be able to bleed them? or am i wrong

Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 1950

Actually, the bleeder is supposed to be above the brake-line. The set-up you have pictured would be very difficult to bleed properly. Normally the caliper would be mounted behind the spindle, so I imagine the mount was moved ahead of the spindle to correct some clearance problem with the airbag mounts. I bet that somewhere in the installation instructions it advises swapping the calipers from left to right.

Just do it. It makes more sense anyway.

nickdini · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:32 pm Post subject:

sorry i meant to say if i flipped them the brake line would be above the bleeder. the way it sits right now is the way empi says to install them with the bleeder above. i dont know why empi has the caliper in front it would work better in my situation if it was in the rear but the mount for the caliper is casted into the spindle. the empi number is Item Number: 22-2925 http://carcraftstore.com/dropspindleftdiscbrakekitforwide5205.aspx

Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 1950

I'm sticking to my guns here. That bleeder should be above the body of the caliper, and the way it's mounted you'll have a really hard time getting the air out of the caliper.
Just swap the calipers! I'm 99% sure it will work, and work well.
Trust me! I stayed at a Residence Inn last night...

nickdini · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:58 pm Post subject:

Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 1950

Please let me know how it works. Especially if I was wrong.

nickdini · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:24 pm Post subject:

ok will do might be a week or so before i get to bleeding them i still need to do the rear

nickdini · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 7:17 pm Post subject:

well i swapped them around and now i have problems with the caliper its self hitting my upper arm. i might be able to notch the arm a little. its hard to judge if my wheel is turning all the way or not so i will finish the steering before i notch the arm.on another note the calipers are stamped with a right and left with them flipped around i have the one stamped right on the drivers side.
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66brm · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 9:01 pm Post subject:

Its your custom upper trailing arm thats the problem not the brake kit, they ain't going to work together, ditch the disc setup or the bag beam
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nickdini · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 9:16 pm Post subject:

yah im not blaming the disc kit i know it would work fine with a factory set up. but im trying to make it work one way or another. thats why i was asking to see if any one new of another caliper that would work. i was hoping to find an easy fix with a different caliper.

66brm · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 9:56 pm Post subject:

Here's a stupid thought, the caliper brackets, try swapping side to side, see if you can mount the calipers back from the spindle not forward like you have.

May work, may not, you will probably need longer flexible brake lines to do it

Scratch that I just saw that the bracket is part of the steering knuckle
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Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 1950

Damn! I was sure that would work. I would'a lost that bet...

Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 1950

Not so sure it's a lost cause yet. You've got that thing turned pretty far. Might be practical to limit your steering so it can't hit. With a narrowed beam like that, turning that amount might have the tire rubbing the inner fender anyway. Don't give up yet.
Your bleeders a certainly in a better place now. We can make this thing work!

nickdini · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 3:03 pm Post subject:

yah im not giving up dont worry haha. its only gona get harder because im going to be using a rack and pinion style steering. i think i might notch the arm and add a gusset to the bottom side of the arm.
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Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 1950

Power steering? What the hell kinda Bug are you building?

nickdini · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:13 pm Post subject:

its just a street bug. is a 62 ragtop. im doing full air ride with widened fenders and 8 inch smoothies in the rear. i did a 4 inch trans raise. im also building a 2332 for it. im not going to use power steering i will just loop it off. i just wanted to try out a rack set up see how it works. hear is a video of it so far. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDrLI_mInko&feature=g-upl

Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 1950

I think you need to start a build thread on this car. It looks very cool so far.

nickdini · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:36 pm Post subject:

thanks im new to the samba so i didnt know where to start one. would i just put it under beetle 58-67? it took me about 20 min to find out how to start this one haha

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