Converting front Drums to disc

[Steve&Jess]

We're getting to that point in my wife's beetle build that it's time to tackle the front suspension. The beetle is going to be her daily driver so I'm looking to replace the front drums with disc's.
I already have all new brake lines, hard and soft for the car. A new standard master cylinder (I see a larger bore cylinder is recommended when converting all 4 to disc but we're just planning on doing the front. So its OEM size)
We also have all new bearings to be installed at the same time.

The body is off the chassis and our MasterSeries chassis primer/paint kit gets here this Friday. Looking to order the conversion now so once the paint is dry we can start reassembly.

The 3 conversion kits I've found are....

(includes bearings as well even though we have them from WW)
https://toplineparts3.com/product/disc-brake-conversion-ball-joint-front-87-0991/

https://socalautoparts.com/product/no-hassle-front...-spindles/


https://www.cbperformance.com/product-p/4287.htm






Does anyone have any experience with any of these kits? I see the topline also comes with longer brake hoses but the other two kits come with spindles. Is there any disadvantage to the adaptor bracket that topline sells? Or maybe recommend another one? I was going to buy new drums since I already have the shoes for the front as well as brake cylinders and rebuild kits but the drums up front are rusted and actually chipped around the edges. Was thinking if there was a time to upgrade this would be it and just eat the cost of the front brake hardware that I've already purchased. Thank you all in advance!

[Glenn]

Rear disc are a waste, the stock drums are fine so save your money for a upgrade that matters.

Front disc are great, most "kits" are crap. They put the cheapest parts together so they can have a low price. Brakes are not something to skimp on.


For a ball joint front end, get a set of OE Ghia front spindles, they're a direct swap. You'll need to find backing plates. Get Brembo or Zimmerman rotors and good quality bearings. For calipers the Varga made in Brazil are good.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/search.php...ia+spindle
_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

[beanlover]

[Steve&Jess]

[Steve&Jess]

[Tim Donahoe]

Topline is more expensive, but you get a lot more.

I bought an Empi conversion in 2012 (maybe 2013), and it has served me well. But I had to use my own bearings and races, which meant I had to buy a Harbor Freight bearing installer kit, and the hard lines had to be bent (so I had to buy a brake-line bender). Topline also supplies you with stainless steel braided lines (easy-peasy).

The Topline kit, on the other hand, gives you all that you need, and they have always given me high quality front end items for my Super Beetle.

If I had it to do over, I’d go with Topline.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Cusser]

I've already made my own decision for my 1971 Super Convertible: if I need new front drums, I will go with everything from TopLine to convert the fronts to disc.

I have zero plans to convert the front of my 1970 standard Beetle to disc.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[Lingwendil]

[Mikedrevguy]

When I priced it out: TopLine kit vs others, dollars to donuts the TopLine was competitively priced and complete.
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74 1303 (RevBug): plan for German Look
76 914 with 2260
79 VW Iltis
69 Bwajaja
"The wise speak because they have something to say; while the foolish speak because they have to say something." Plato

Illigitimi non-Carborundum!!

[passionre]

I went with the AC kit from Socal on my 73 super. Kit was first rate, price was good.....totally content with my choice.

[VW_Jimbo]

I have always installed the Empi disc brake conversion kit, which also includes a new spindle. I have no complaints. They are copies of the original set up foundonBugs and Gaia’s. Yes, you will need to buy better bearings than they provide, but that like 25 bucks. I also detest stainless steel hoses with a passion, so yes, I always purchase new rubber hoses, that I can see.

Great value and great kits. The last one I purchased was off of Amazon. Pier side Parts, down the street was $40 bucks more and I would need to visit their store. So, delivered for that price was a no brained!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[beanlover]

[Weezle]

agree with keeping drums in rear. I regret putting the discs on the back. its just for show. there is no emergency brake. it just has a barely useful "parking brake" that relies on hydraulic pressure. if pop a rubber brake line and lose pressure your ebrake handle is useless. If I were doing it over again I'd put type three rear drums on and call it a day. you can probably lock those up with the handbrake. I have seen some extremely expensive rear brake kits with a physical parking brake but I mean several thousand.
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I got a fever, and the only prescription is more beetles!

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=604918&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=759868&highlight=

[sb001]

[johneliot]

I like that fourth bullet. "Empi Quality"
_________________
John

There is no distinctly American criminal class - except Congress.
Mark Twain

69 bug - "The Grey Ghost"

[Lingwendil]

[viiking]

It always amazes me why US models never came with discs as standard but the rest of the world apparently did. Here's my original restored 1968 discs. Designed for the bug, so why need to substitute anything else?

Also you understand that going to a larger bore MC will require more brake pressure on the pedal than the standard 19mm MC? Maybe not significantly, but then these are unassisted brakes.

_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[61 BUS]

On my 76, I converted the front brakes to 73/74 Ghia discs (new calipers and pads, of course) and left the rear drums. They bolted right on, and the difference is very noticeable.
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61 Bus, 71 Bus, 76 Beetle, 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth, 47 Plymouth Business Coupe, 58 BMW Isetta 300

[ghianowbug]

We put a kit together using wilwood 4 piston calipers caliper adapters by vdubengineering and brembo stock discs you are looking at around 450 for the kit but the adapter that vdubengineering makes fits dead on the first time and is a nice piece of machined steel rather than stampings or cast adapter. Works great my brother has it on his ghia and I hsve it on a68 euro sedan . The adapters only work with drum spindles so you will need drum spindles which you have. Good kit that you put together with the best parts and modern calipers and pads. Bot my calipers through summit racing .

[Steve&Jess]