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1972 Westy front shocks and calipers
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tewfiks
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 1:26 pm    Post subject: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

I am updating the front calipers on my 1972 Westy to the later 73 style calipers. I have the bushing kit but seem to have a fitment issue with the front dust shields. The calipers will not fit with our modifying the shields. Do I just need to order 73 shields to use these calipers?

Also replacing my front shocks. I purchased Sachs shocks but the lower mount is too small for the attachment. What shock is a direct fit on these 72 buses?

Thanks
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 1:40 pm    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

Do your new calipers bolt on the old spindles? I had to change spindles.
Shocks: did you remove the old steel liner where the bolt slides through?
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 1:50 pm    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

You need to either modify the 72 splash shields, or use the later ones. People also sometimes have wheel interference
with those caliper adapter kits.

The shock mounts probably have the old shock bushing sleeves stuck on the stud, they rust on pretty tight and
sometimes have to be cut off. Either that, or you were sent the wrong shocks.
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tewfiks
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 3:59 pm    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

I don't know if they bolt on the spindles because the brake backing interferes with the calipers. I will modify the shields first before I throw more money at this.

What spindles did you have to use with these brakes? From a 73?

I did not realize that there was a sleeve on the bottom bolts. I will try and get those off first. That is where the bottom shock mounting point gets stuck.

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 4:05 pm    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

68-70 buses had smaller lower shock mounting studs/shock sleeves. Post a picture if you'd like a definite answer on if you have a stuck sleeve or incorrect shock/torsion arm combination.

A bus I worked with recently had a 68-70 torsion arm/shock on one side, and a 71+ setup on the other side. Evil or Very Mad
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 4:58 pm    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

tewfiks wrote:
What spindles did you have to use with these brakes? From a 73?


Your '72 spindles are fine. That's the whole point of the "bushing kit", to allow 73-79 calipers to be
mounted to '71-'72 spindles.
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tewfiks
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 5:07 pm    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

airschooled wrote:
Post a picture if you'd like a definite answer on if you have a stuck sleeve or incorrect shock/torsion arm combination.

Evil or Very Mad



I will try and post an image tomorrow.
Thanks for all the advise/insight.
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tewfiks
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:44 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

This is what I am dealing with. It appears as though it is part of the prior shock that has rusted to the mounting bolt.

I have been able to remove one side and am struggling with the other. I have heated it to no avail. I may have to cut this off but would like to avoid damaging the bolt



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2021 5:36 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

If it wasn’t glowing red you weren’t heating it, you were tickling it.

OXy that amd it will come off.

That’s easily grindable too, only the outer threads are used so you could cut the barrel until it splits
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:07 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

Id be weary of heating that bolt too much. You dont want to weaken it.

I would take a dremel and a cutoff wheel to it very carefully. Should only be about 10 minutes of work to slice it off. Wear googles obviously.
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2021 7:55 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

I don’t see the value of changing from a 1972 caliper to the late model. What are you trying to improve?
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:25 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

I don't see any traces of a liquid penetrating oil on it. Penetrating oil is a special oil that reduces the size of the rust molecules, so it helps free rusted things.
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:47 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

Cut a horizontal groove in the sleeve, insert sharp chisel, bang with 3# short sledge. Presto its off! I also see little value in this upgrade .
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:46 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

I see no value in the upgrade either. As long as the parts are available it often makes more sense to just repair what one has. The only upgrade I can think that would have benefit is taking a 1970 or earlier bus to discs and a flange in the back.
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:54 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

The only upgrade I can think that would have benefit is taking a 1970 or earlier bus to discs and a flange in the back.

I'm in the middle of fixing a botched attempt to install 1971 front brakes onto a 1968 DC. I am installing a booster so essentially, it will be stock, power assisted four wheel drum brakes when I'm done.

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 3:09 pm    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

My goal was to have an easier supply parts as the bus ages. I have a pair of buses (68 and 72) that seem to have one year only parts. The 72 has been off the road for many years prior to my ownership and I dread not having the parts going forward to accomplish getting back on the road.
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:56 pm    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

Stick with the 1971/1972 front brakes. I have several rebuilt calipers for those years
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 5:18 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

I am new to site and new to my 1972 Baywindow. I am working on front brakes and seem to be running into some issues with the calipers. I have purchased rebuilt calipers and the right side worked fine. However, the left side caliper came in with standard threads for hard brake line which causes an issue connecting it to the flexible brake line. I have ordered another left caliper to see if it come in with correct treads.
I guess my nagging question is what is the difference in the left and right calipers? They are sold as such but look the same me?
Thanks for any info!
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 5:53 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

Humpst wrote:
my nagging question is what is the difference in the left and right calipers?


The L&R calipers are supposed to be mirror images of each other. If your calipers have two bleeder screws
(earliest ones only had 1), then you can flip either upside down and mount it on the other side. But then the
skinny and fat mounting bolts will be reversed (top vs bottom). Some folks say (with no evidence given) that
this matters. Other folks say it's 6 of one and a half-dozen of the other (again with no evidence given). VW/ATE
put the fat bolt at both bottom and top on various caliper versions.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 6:06 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 Westy front shocks and calipers Reply with quote

kreemoweet wrote:
Humpst wrote:
my nagging question is what is the difference in the left and right calipers?


The L&R calipers are supposed to be mirror images of each other. If your calipers have two bleeder screws
(earliest ones only had 1), then you can flip either upside down and mount it on the other side. But then the
skinny and fat mounting bolts will be reversed (top vs bottom).


They do have two bleeder screws and if the mounting bolts you are referring to are the ones that mount caliper to wheel, they are both the same size on my bus. So, can I just use a right caliper on the left?
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