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GLHTurbo
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2009
Posts: 1376
Location: New Jersey
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 Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 11:22 am Post subject: Wilwood calipers on the street |
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So the dynalite Wilwood Calipers that alot of people use, are technically for race use only, and don't have dust seals on the pistons.
Does this pose a problem for a street driven vehicle that's not driven often? Should I consider just running OEM 944NA calipers?
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1957 Beetle
1966 Bus |
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TinCanFab
Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006
Posts: 2743
Location: Waterford, California
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| Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood calipers on the street |
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Both are great calipers for a conversion. I see no advantage running the Wilwoods though in your case, unless you want the "look". They are just popular because a lot of kits for all kinds if cars use them. They incorporate well into any custom brake design. A quality aftermarket USA vs OEM German part....you can't lose. If you aren't racing, and the 944 fits, that would be my choice. Also, the German caliper uses the same metric bubble flare connection. My single cab with bay master and 944 fronts- wow. A super cheap vented rotor conversion you can't easily see. Even the original front hoses are listed as interchangeable in parts catalog with split bus length and thread. I doubt I would see a difference if I switched now.
I have found pads, in stock at parts stores as low as $15 for cheapies. I even bought new OEM German Zimmerman rotors for less than $100 a piece. You get good parts availability, prices and quality with 944. You get the Porsche goodies without competing with high dollar collectors of the rarer cars. Nobody cares about plain jane NA 944's.
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Check out my truck brought back from the dead... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=420762&highlight=sprayed+blood
They're never really ever finished 58 rag build...
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=658092 |
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GLHTurbo
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2009
Posts: 1376
Location: New Jersey
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| Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 12:49 pm Post subject: Re: Wilwood calipers on the street |
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Thanks for your input, the only thing steering me away from the 944NA Calipers, is that by the time I buy them, and a rebuild kit (as well as the time to rebuild them and clean them up), I can buy 2 new in the box wilwoods.
Happen to have any sources of rebuilt 944 calipers without cores? (or a reasonable core price)
| roachdub58 wrote: |
Both are great calipers for a conversion. I see no advantage running the Wilwoods though in your case, unless you want the "look". They are just popular because a lot of kits for all kinds if cars use them. They incorporate well into any custom brake design. A quality aftermarket USA vs OEM German part....you can't lose. If you aren't racing, and the 944 fits, that would be my choice. Also, the German caliper uses the same metric bubble flare connection. My single cab with bay master and 944 fronts- wow. A super cheap vented rotor conversion you can't easily see. Even the original front hoses are listed as interchangeable in parts catalog with split bus length and thread. I doubt I would see a difference if I switched now.
I have found pads, in stock at parts stores as low as $15 for cheapies. I even bought new OEM German Zimmerman rotors for less than $100 a piece. You get good parts availability, prices and quality with 944. You get the Porsche goodies without competing with high dollar collectors of the rarer cars. Nobody cares about plain jane NA 944's. |
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1966 Bus |
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TinCanFab
Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006
Posts: 2743
Location: Waterford, California
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| Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 10:22 pm Post subject: Re: Wilwood calipers on the street |
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| GLHTurbo wrote: |
Thanks for your input, the only thing steering me away from the 944NA Calipers, is that by the time I buy them, and a rebuild kit (as well as the time to rebuild them and clean them up), I can buy 2 new in the box wilwoods.
Happen to have any sources of rebuilt 944 calipers without cores? (or a reasonable core price)
| roachdub58 wrote: |
Both are great calipers for a conversion. I see no advantage running the Wilwoods though in your case, unless you want the "look". They are just popular because a lot of kits for all kinds if cars use them. They incorporate well into any custom brake design. A quality aftermarket USA vs OEM German part....you can't lose. If you aren't racing, and the 944 fits, that would be my choice. Also, the German caliper uses the same metric bubble flare connection. My single cab with bay master and 944 fronts- wow. A super cheap vented rotor conversion you can't easily see. Even the original front hoses are listed as interchangeable in parts catalog with split bus length and thread. I doubt I would see a difference if I switched now.
I have found pads, in stock at parts stores as low as $15 for cheapies. I even bought new OEM German Zimmerman rotors for less than $100 a piece. You get good parts availability, prices and quality with 944. You get the Porsche goodies without competing with high dollar collectors of the rarer cars. Nobody cares about plain jane NA 944's. |
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Well, I didn't consider used vs new... I forget that I found mine in a hick town junkyard. No rust, low mileage 944's pop up a lot in Central California junkyards. I just bought them gambling they were still good if they looked dry. Maybe eBay or some other way to get them cheap online? I like looking at the parts car they come from if possible. A 944 with a torn apart engine or hit in the rear means it's likely the brakes are fine. Get your stuff from a NON VW source, the average guy doesn't want them.
I picked up my calipers and hubs off a car like this. The manager of the yard had a raised eyebrow when I told him what I wanted (remember hick town). I drove my single cab there a month later. He asked about the brakes (remembered because nobody wanted anything off that car) and I showed him my truck. He just laughed and said "I knew it had to be for something like THAT!" 
He then realized he should've charged more than $50 for it all.
With the new rotor and wheel adapter, you don't even see the used hub and caliper. A little cleaning and nobody notices. I couldn't even find cracks in the dust covers, fluid drained out clean. I just put them on even though I expected to have to rebuild them.
_________________
Check out my truck brought back from the dead... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=420762&highlight=sprayed+blood
They're never really ever finished 58 rag build...
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=658092 |
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GLHTurbo
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2009
Posts: 1376
Location: New Jersey
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| Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 4:21 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood calipers on the street |
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Very nice. Unfortunately, I'm in rusty NJ. I'll keep my eyes peeled. Although I see A1 CARDONE Remans are available from Rockauto.com for $45+$9 core charge. Not terribly priced, I just wonder how these remans are. I'll keep my eyes peeled for some parts cars on Craigslist still.
Just curious, what size wheels do you run with those adapters? Wondering if stock 14" bus wheels clear.
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TinCanFab
Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006
Posts: 2743
Location: Waterford, California
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| Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 7:25 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood calipers on the street |
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| GLHTurbo wrote: |
Very nice. Unfortunately, I'm in rusty NJ. I'll keep my eyes peeled. Although I see A1 CARDONE Remans are available from Rockauto.com for $45+$9 core charge. Not terribly priced, I just wonder how these remans are. I'll keep my eyes peeled for some parts cars on Craigslist still.
Just curious, what size wheels do you run with those adapters? Wondering if stock 14" bus wheels clear. |
I'm running stock 15" bus wheels and caliper brackets from Vintage Vee Dubs. I don't think the stock 14" wheels will work, mostly due to the way bus wheels have that extreme backspacing. Maybe if you run a narrowed beam and used a thicker wheel adapter (could probably stack two together and weld) to push the inside of the wheel away from the caliper. I had to grind a few areas on the caliper itself (nothing huge, just smoothing out where the casting is a tad bulky). The part of the early wheels with the big ass slots would drag on the caliper. The corner of each slot would catch on the caliper. It's possible the 14" could fit if the wheel is spaced out a bit more. You might need to search that out in the bus forums. Maybe the small Wilwoods will fit?
The good thing is that the hub is a bolt on for 64-67 bus spindles. You might have to swap bearings though, I don't remember. I had to have the hubs cut for a different size bearing for my 60 spindles though. Also, the spindle is pretty long, so the grease cap needs to be modified. My setup uses the press in part of the Porsche cap with the top cut off, and the deep bus cap welded to the top. Now, the bearing is covered and you get the square hole for the speedo cable.
_________________
Check out my truck brought back from the dead... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=420762&highlight=sprayed+blood
They're never really ever finished 58 rag build...
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=658092 |
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