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TheGooch
Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2002
Posts: 14
Location: Portland, OR
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 Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 10:46 am Post subject: Correct brake orientation - 56 Rear end |
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Hello! I'm a little confused on the correct orientation of the rear brakes on a 56 stock rear end. The car is new to me, and has the wheel cylinder at the bottom (adjusters up top). A few posts here shows the opposite orientation. The Muir book shows wheel cylinder on top. Can someone confirm which way is the correct orientation? Did this change in 58 -> maybe? Thanks for the help here.
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Dan22
Samba Member
Joined: August 30, 2019
Posts: 744
Location: Battle Ground, WA
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 11:20 am Post subject: Re: Correct brake orientation - 56 Rear end |
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That is correct for the 53 -57 brakes with the 2 or 4 screw wheel cylinders.
What you show is exactly like my 1955. At some point the e-brake cable route changed from the U-turn style to the Z style coming into the front side of the brake plate, which is like the updated 1958 brakes. The 1958 brakes also have a single bolt wheel cylinder.
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=765074 |
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TheGooch
Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2002
Posts: 14
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 11:29 am Post subject: Re: Correct brake orientation - 56 Rear end |
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| Awesome, thanks Dan! That's what I thought, just needed some confirmation. |
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Dan22
Samba Member
Joined: August 30, 2019
Posts: 744
Location: Battle Ground, WA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:07 am Post subject: Re: Correct brake orientation - 56 Rear end |
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Bleeding the brakes with the cylinder and bleed valve at the bottom may be a challenge. They were designed this way so it obviously can be done. My restoration is nowhere near the point where I am bleeding brakes, but I recall doing a method for the initial filling of the wheel cylinder to leave it unmounted to the backing plate but having the line connected. And somehow flipping the cylinder bleeder valve up and giving it the fluid so the air comes out the top. I am not sure exactly how I accomplished this without pushing the pistons out of the cylinder. Maybe wired them in.
Anyway, just some extra thought that may help with bleeding issues for the upside down wheel cylinders. It may not be an issue for those using a power bleeder these days.
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Bub
Samba Member
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 1339
Location: Central Washington
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| Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2025 8:46 am Post subject: Re: Correct brake orientation - 56 Rear end |
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ON this same topic: is the e-brake arm in the original / proper position on this brake setup?
I have seen vintage pictures where the arm is fastened to the other side/ back side of that brake shoe.
Very small detail...but it's a detail!
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EVfun 
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 6402
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 8:04 am Post subject: Re: Correct brake orientation - 56 Rear end |
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| Bub wrote: |
ON this same topic: is the e-brake arm in the original / proper position on this brake setup?
I have seen vintage pictures where the arm is fastened to the other side/ back side of that brake shoe.
Very small detail...but it's a detail! |
It is correct for this brake setup. Looking at the brakes I see that they are 1958-1964 style brakes, not the original oval window brakes. I hope the front brake were swapped out too, or else the braking could be a bit dangerous (prone to rear wheel lockup).
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| As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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Bub
Samba Member
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 1339
Location: Central Washington
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 8:09 am Post subject: Re: Correct brake orientation - 56 Rear end |
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| EVfun wrote: |
| Bub wrote: |
ON this same topic: is the e-brake arm in the original / proper position on this brake setup?
I have seen vintage pictures where the arm is fastened to the other side/ back side of that brake shoe.
Very small detail...but it's a detail! |
It is correct for this brake setup. Looking at the brakes I see that they are 1958-1964 style brakes, not the original oval window brakes. I hope the front brake were swapped out too, or else the braking could be a bit dangerous (prone to rear wheel lockup). |
Here's a set of early brakes, e-brake arm mounted behind the brake shoe.
This is how they were originally - correct?
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| hitest wrote: |
| Had a girlfriend once who shall we say, nearly arrived at the mere sight of a semaphore in action- easy to please she was... |
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sunroof
Samba Member
Joined: October 06, 2006
Posts: 2088
Location: Winnipeg
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 9:21 am Post subject: Re: Correct brake orientation - 56 Rear end |
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From the manual
Don
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EVfun
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 6402
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 10:30 am Post subject: Re: Correct brake orientation - 56 Rear end |
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| Bub wrote: |
| EVfun wrote: |
| Bub wrote: |
ON this same topic: is the e-brake arm in the original / proper position on this brake setup?
I have seen vintage pictures where the arm is fastened to the other side/ back side of that brake shoe.
Very small detail...but it's a detail! |
It is correct for this brake setup. Looking at the brakes I see that they are 1958-1964 style brakes, not the original oval window brakes. I hope the front brake were swapped out too, or else the braking could be a bit dangerous (prone to rear wheel lockup). |
Here's a set of early brakes, e-brake arm mounted behind the brake shoe.
This is how they were originally - correct?
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Yes BUT...
The brakes on the TheGooch's oval window are not oval window brakes. They are 1958-1964 rear brakes. On 1958 and later Beetle brakes the e-brake arm is installed on the outside of the brake shoe. I can tell they are post-oval era rear brakes by looking at the backing plate in the area by the rear bearing cap.
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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martisan33
Samba Member
Joined: December 11, 2013
Posts: 23
Location: Cleveland OH
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| Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2025 5:21 pm Post subject: Re: Correct brake orientation - 56 Rear end |
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| Im glad I hadn't seen this last summer when I put Porsche A brakes on my 56. When I took it apart it had 1965 trans/brakes, with the cables entering from the front which actually functioned just fine. I've now got the cables right, and cylinders at the top. Nothing is original so I can't go wrong. |
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