Will a `70 beam fit into a `71 bus

[bastardbus]

`71 bus and owner wants wide five drums instead.

I know the late `69-`70 beams had the later bolt pattern same as `71-`79. Will the late `69-`70 drum beam mount up to the `71 bus with minor mods?

Thanks
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Samba Member #95

[60's Burnout]

You've got the good brakes; the discs. Why you want to go retro-grade to drums???? They may look 'kool', but the third or fourth time you jump on the brakes and they pull hard to one side because they need adjusting, you'll wish you had the discs.


I had a '68 with the wide 5 and hung '73 discs on it just to get away from those drums. There is a reason they don't use drums on front axles for the last 45 years....but if you're determined.....

[bastardbus]

Not my bus dude..customer wants em.

I daily drove a split beetle with no syncros, cable brakes and 16's for years and was fine. If your bus is jumping around with drums you have problems in your system it is NOT the design. This guy will be A.O.K. with drums instead of discs on his fat chick, don't worry bout him worry bout yourself (and why your cars jump all over the place when you hit the brakes).

Now if for ONCE I can get a damn straight answer to a super simple question on the Samba without all the opinion crap on what this guy wants on his bus that would be a friggin' X-mas miracle.



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Samba Member #95

[aeromech]

Yes I believe you can do the swap. Someone is going to want that 1971 beam with booster and MC
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[bastardbus]

Thanks for the straight answer man...yes the `71 beam will be available for sale or trade for a late `69-`70 beam with wide mounts. I see a couple on the classifieds just wanted to make sure there was no other funny mounting differences between the `70 and `71.

I also have several other really nice split bus era beams available if someone has a `70 to swap as well.

t
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Samba Member #95

[Trashman]

It should bolt up just fine but I have heard of people with a 69 with the early bolt pattern before. I would go for a 70 beam if you have the choice just to play it safe. Just in case, you can always measure the new beam to see if it has the right pattern. Here's a picture with all the measurements (used to make a narrowed beam). The bottom two holes that show to be 207,00 apart are the later pattern, and the holes above those showing 163,50 apart are the earlier pattern.

Hope this helps.
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[VWsArent4Hippies]

You'll just have to get creative with the master cylinder mounting. Or you could leave the booster/ beam, and just swap from the spindles out. Then you'll have boosted drums, which is nice

[busdaddy]

Scroll down to the end of this: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=151765
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[dasdachshund]

I've got a '71+ beam from WagonsWest on my '70. Bolted on with no mods whatsoever. So I assume the opposet will be fine. (watchout assuming)

-dasdachshund

[Manfred58sc]

Yes, it will bolt in w/o issue. I have seen early pattern up till 8-69 builds, that seems to be the change-over time to 70+ style. Boosted drum brakes are very nice .
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Fat chick owner/operator

[Abscate]

I bolted a 1971 beam into a 1970 way, way back in the 1980s but I don't think they have shrunk much since then.
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[bastardbus]

[VWDog]

I can't really ad anything to what people have said here, but I was wondering if your customer is actually after drum brakes, or just a bolt pattern? I myself like the earlier wide 5 hubcap, so I 'put up' with the drums(besides, I am used to them and have driven many thousands of "drum" miles without incident). Friends of mine hate drums and don't have my hubcap fetish. I guess my desire to have those early caps comes from my family's 70 Westy bought back in 1970...maybe your customer has the same affliction? Isn't there some sort of adapter plate to go from 5x112 to 5x205? ...Just a thought...worth, well, about 2 cents
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[VWsArent4Hippies]

[VWsArent4Hippies]

[VWDog]

[Mr Beckstar]

[airschooled]

For the record, even though this is an old thread:

The split bus enthusiast in question can use 64-70 drum spindles, on ANY ball joint bus beam. The backing plates and drums work in a matched set, either 64-68 or 69-70. Regardless, the shoes and wheel cylinders are the same too.

Once the front is taken care of, I hope the customer knows that they will have to deal with the rears as well…

Boosted drum brakes are a hoot. Hope the customer is happy.

Robbie
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