Brake pads for Split Beetles

[vintage fiberglass]

I need new brake pads for my 1950 split. I have an NOS set of the old riveted pads for the front and rear? Then I heard that you can use newer bonded pads from maybe an oval?? Can anyone shed some light on this?
Tim

[coolparts]

The early oval brake shoes work But. You have to use the oval adjuster screws

[oldsplitvw]

58-64 REAR shoes fit with no modification. Front and rear.

Do NOT use oval (slanted) shoes and stars with the split spring setup. On ovals the spring pulls at a diagonal, perpendicular to the adjusting star. The split springs are all horizontal/parallel. Using the parallel springs and slanted adjusters will cause problems after a lot if driving (like hundreds of miles). Essentially you shoes will drag no matter how you adjust them

Will

[Grant Reiling]

[oldsplitvw]

I chased gremlins in my own 52 brakes for a long time. I had oval shoes, with slant adjusting stars. With the "horizontal" springs. I drove the car with this setup, quite a long time actually. They would line up fine, and adjust fine, but after driving if you took a jack and lifted up the car they would drag ever-so-slightly. Never enough to slow you down, or even be noticed while driving, but enough to give a good "psssshhhhhhhtttttttttt" when you lifted the car and spun the wheel.

I spent a huge amount of time pouring over factory manuals, and this is the best conclusion I could come to. After changing the shoes and the starts to the flat/horizontal style the car stops better, and after lifting the car after a drive there is zero friction from the brakes. (yes, you should adjust to a slight drag for bleeding purposes but that's a different story).

Pics:
"split style" the springs by the adjusting stars are horizontal based on the plane of the shoes

"oval style" - the springs pull the shoes at an angle. This angle corresponds to the slant in the notch in the adjusting star

"square style" VW GMBH must have given up on this newfangled slanted spring contraption and returned to parallel springs for the duration of Beetle production. Again adjusting star slots are not slanted.

I've asked 20 different people, and received 20 different answers. I present only my own experience. I'm sure there are people out there who have been working on VWs for decades longer than I that disagree with me, and I am always open to wisdom from those who have insight to give.

On my car the drag on the shoes was not enough to be noticed while driving, but it was there. The problem was fixed instantly using the non-slanted shoe/star setup. I'm sure you could drive a car across the United States with a mismatched setup, but how much heat is a little drag going to generate? Especially if you decide you want to go from 60-0 in a big hurry.

Will

[oldsplitvw]

My hypothesis is based on the following: Look at the middle (oval) picture. The two slanted springs would pull the shoes upward, while the slant of the two notches in the adjusting screw would eventually push the shoes downward. The angles correspond identically, so this works if the setup all matches.

If you run the slanted shoes/adjusters with the split style springs. the slanted adjusting slots would ultimately pull the shoes downward when the brakes are applied (toward the wheel cylinder), and the horizontal spring would do nothing except exacerbate the problem. There would be no return-pull to center the shoes. This is exactly what I found on my car. After yanking the drums, the shoes were worn near the cylinder and nowhere else.

Again, I am no expert in this, only an enthusiast who has worked hard to make is own car road worthy. I am welcome and very interested in the opinion of fellow enthusiasts, weekend mechanics, etc etc.

Will

[vintage fiberglass]

Wow! Thanks to Will and others for the info. I need it. Will I may just
e-mail you to make sure I understand. It counds like I can just find 1958 to 1964 bonded beetle brake pads and install them on my 1950 split without any changes and they will work? is that correct? Front and back? I am sure they will be wider and way better than the rivited originals. Tim

[tattoo_5678]

[Grant Reiling]

[ToolBox]

Call these guys, they can reline shoes and resleeve your hydrulics.

Brake Parts and Materials
800 Sherman Blvd
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46808
Today 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.Phone (260) 426-3331
Email [email protected]
Website http://brakematerialsandparts.webs.com


Best to call, the web host sucks.

[Ovally]

Hello,

Very interesting!

I own a VW Oval (1953).Father bought this car new in July of that year.Ten years ago I fully restored the Oval.
The shape of the brake shoes is the same as for a Split.The only difference is that the upper spring at the adjuster is one piece instead of two shorter ones.
All the brake shoes have rounded ends, also the original VW shoes 58-64 (see pictures above).
But the aftermarket shoes 58-64 (rear 30mm) have straight ends.

www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1275446

I wonder if these aftermarket bonded brake shoes will also work for Splits and Ovals before 1954.
I do not know what the intention is of the original VW shoes with rounded ends.
Has anyone ever installed those aftermarket bonded brake shoes 58-64 on a Split and what is the experience of this?
Or could there be a problem with the return-pull to center the shoes after braking?

Thanks in advance and best regards from Belgium,

Armand

[Ovally]

Hello,

Is there anyone who has ever done this?
Or anyone who can answer me?
Maybe "vintagefiberglass" or "oldsplitvw" ?

Best regards, Armand

[Sameleon]

Hi. Here is my project. My recommendation is to try recover original brake shoes instead of buy a replica parts. Rounded ends are highly recommended by VW, but there is no problem to regrind liners.


http://www.samsgarage.org/projects/1950-brezel-aus...o-oblozeni

[Ovally]

Thanks for your reply.

So the best thing is to use the original brake shoes with the rounded ends.
Original riveted linings will be difficult to find but I have found some from the brand FRASLE with rivets.

Nice website and beautiful work!

Kind regards, Armand

[Ovally]

Bonded brake shoes (front and rear) are now also available for split and early oval bugs to 12/'53.
I bought them and they look good. Always handy to have them in stock.

Regards.
_________________
VW Bug Oval 1953
VW Bug 1200 D motor
Porsche 911S MFI 1970
Mazda 929 Hardtop 1977
Mercedes SLC 180 Roadster 2018

[Two Glove Boxes]