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Brake booster rebuild shop
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SGKent Premium Member
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2020 5:09 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

Whaanga wrote:
I had my booster rebuilt by this shop:


Scott & Margaret Bethke
Brake Materials & Parts Inc
800 Sherman Blvd
Fort Wayne IN 46808

[email protected]

The customer service was excellent and I am very pleased with the work.
The photo shows the booster as it came back after rebuild.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


that looks like a new vent bellows
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Squeeze Cheese
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2020 8:07 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

Whaanga wrote:
I had my booster rebuilt by this shop:
Scott & Margaret Bethke
Brake Materials & Parts Inc
800 Sherman Blvd
Fort Wayne IN 46808


Yea, I mentioned them. They're a month backed up right now.
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skills@eurocarsplus
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2020 11:22 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

SGKent wrote:

that looks like a new vent bellows


i meant the plastic vent hoobajoo...those are not made anymore (as far as i know, anyway)
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thewalrus
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 7:18 am    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

I recently had mine done by Brake Materials & Parts also. Scott's a super nice guy and it was almost exactly a 1 month turn around. Sent it out on Nov 21st and got it back on Dec 22nd.
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deepcflea
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:54 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

Put this in my build thread, but thought it's worth mentioning here too...

So I sent my brake booster to Bush Power Brake Services in San Diego (got them from a thread here on Samba, but I don't think it was this thread) for a rebuild... was working fine I believe, but wanted it tested/overhauled/painted up all nice and clean. Called the guy, who I believe was the owner, he tells me he's been doing this for 30 years... says they do these all the time, they take it down to bare metal, rebuild, test, blah, blah, blah... make it all pretty... sounds great!! Call to make sure he received it and he tells me he has it and he's got one just like it all ready to go. Sounds fine so he ships me that one.

Here's how my day went... patiently waiting for my newly rebuilt brake booster to come back so I can put the booster/master cylinder in and bleed/adjust then get this thing on the road!

My excitement heightens as I see the box on my door step!

Then I open the box... and saw this $275 piece of crap

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Cracked boot, piss poor paint job, over spray all over...

Mine was in better condition than this POS he sent me!! I'm livid, probably be out $70 in shipping once I send this crap back to him.

He was out when I called, but will be back in an hour

*Edit. Talked to him on the phone, he didn't believe what I was telling him, then he had the nerve to tell me I could just put a piece of electrical tape over the boot and it'll be fine. Eventually, said he would send my original back, supposedly rebuilt, and I would send him this crap back. While I eat the $75 shipping I spent getting mine there and back.
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edhnb
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 2:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

interesting. Mine is actually boxed up ready to ship to them as we speak. I just haven't had time to ship it. Let us know how your original one looks when it shows up.
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 3:07 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

I’d be pissed too. I’ve been taking boosters personally to Steve for over 10 years I think. It’s a one man operation but I’ve had him turn around a booster in just one day so it surprises me that he didn’t just do yours and send it back. You are almost always better off having your original part rebuilt instead of taking a rebuilt one and leaving yours as a core. I’m not just talking about boosters. This goes for things like starters, engines, transmissions, etc. Steve is right though. You could repair that crack with a tube of black RTV and be fine. All it does is keep dirt and water out of the booster. Sounds like I’m making apologies for Steve and I’m not but I doubt he knowingly sent you the cracked booster. That’s not good business. Life isn’t perfect and I think all businesses have at least some returns. A good business will always evaluate the problem and try to make the customer happy. I’ve been endorsing Bush Power Brake for a number of years here on the samba. This is the first time I’ve heard of any problems.

Edit: rubber get hard and brittle after several years. Even good German rubber. Is it possible that it was damaged during shipping?
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 3:17 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

You might want to call these guys

http://www.chtopping.com

I know that they rebuilt some Unobtanium boosters for some HAMB hot rod guys... I'd assume they would do a VW one
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 3:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

aeromech, Yeah, should have insisted on mine being rebuilt in hindsight, but I figured a booster is a booster and the way he talked on the phone, he rebuilds them like new. Mine was in pretty decent shape except for some rust from the master cylinder leaking. My boot was damn near like new and very solid. I'm not sure about the one he sent me being damaged in shipping, anything is possible. It is pretty dry rotted and borderline crumbling so I don't think it would have taken much but regardless. I usually give people the benefit of the doubt, don't bad mouth anyone, and don't get testy often but I was pretty upset about this one, compared to what I sent him. When he told me to put electrical tape on there I said... "That's what $275 gets me? Put electrical tape on it?" I just hope they don't spray paint all over the boot and grommets on mine like this one is.
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aeromech
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 4:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

Here's some booster pics from my files. Some were done by the guy in Texas and most were done by Steve. Just showing you these for reference. They all came back in good shape.

Latest one, still in my driveway. I did respray it because I had it in stock for a few years and it had some surface rust from that. These are all different buses.

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 4:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

Those look better than the one I got. I don't mean to bash the guy, (but my frustrated post probably came off like that) I don't know, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, maybe it's just a one off fluke. Maybe it's just my OCD. But it's the little things when you pay good money for something and they paint over spray on rubber or plastic products it drives me crazy. Takes a minute to tape them off.

I get it, I'd probably run with it if it was going on a rust bucket driver that needs to get on the road, but I've put a lot of meticulous blood, sweat, tears, money, and time into my double cab and putting what he sent me on there would be a disservice. We'll see how my original looks when I get it back and I'll update here.

Then when I tell my accountant... I mean, my wife the frustrated story, hopefully she won't ask how much I paid for it, cause she will bust my balls for sure!
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 4:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

you can replace the vent bellows if you can find one. The plastic piece is NLA.
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Mberglo
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:52 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

I bought a new one from Wolfsburg West for my 71. Fits and works fine. Not sure what people are bitching about.


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 7:28 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

Mberglo wrote:
I bought a new one from Wolfsburg West for my 71. Fits and works fine. Not sure what people are bitching about.


Most likely, because the one they received from WW didn't work so "fine". Also did not fit stock vac. hose.
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 10:01 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

i believe the WW one is a Chinese Airtex unit that some people dont seem to like.

some people (particularly in the UK) fit the Brazillian one ... which requires hacking to make it mount right (the stud spacing is different) ...

there is an ATE "Classic line" offering for this part .. that is basically the identical OEM (German?) part ... still available ..

I sourced one of those from UK eBay ... it was listed as "VW Baywindow Bus 1974-79 Brake Servo (72MM STUDS)" (the stud spacing to emphasize that it's not the hack-it-on-shit-job Brazillian swap that is common in the UK).. it was NOT cheap... 300 GBP. $415. But it was just like what came off, but brand new. From the same OEM.


I can't seem to find the same part on eBay UK anymore... but I do see it on C&C's site listed as their high end "German quality range" option (amongst others, including one that looks just like the WW Airtex.....as well as a slightly different Airtex-lookin' booster for "8/70-12/73" which I assume matches up with a 71 US spec bus booster?)

https://www.customandcommercial.com/vw-baywindow/b...4-79_1214/

So, if you want the best......aka what it came with from Germany...it seems to be available..from Europe.

I've been running one on my bus for 2 years of daily driving and lots of miles.... and I'm very happy with it....
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 9:24 am    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

metahacker wrote:
here is an ATE "Classic line" offering for this part .. that is basically the identical OEM (German?) part ... still available ..


Highly recommended part, been using one for a couple years on my '71, works excellent, made in Czech Republic. US customers would be
paying the non-VAT price, so from C&C link above would be $362. plus shipping. Worth every penny IMO, especially considering that
US $362. is likely to be worth (in real terms) far less next year, what with the ongoing destruction of our economy and currency value.
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 9:45 am    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

About 3 years ago, I had my booster rebuilt. I did it through Rock Auto, who essentially middle-man the deal, and you send it right to the rebuilder. I seem to recall it was a place in Dallas TX? Anyway, turnaround was 7 - 10 days, and the rebuild looked and worked great. The price was more than reasonable too, although I can't remember exactly what I paid now. I definitely shopped around at the time, and the Rock Auto deal was by far the best.
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 3:52 am    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

Same here...thru Rockauto sent to Texas.
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 1:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

Cannot find that service on their website. Maybe no offer anymore? Or just me pisspoor website search?
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 2:01 pm    Post subject: Re: Brake booster rebuild shop Reply with quote

Lil Lulu wrote:
Cannot find that service on their website. Maybe no offer anymore? Or just me pisspoor website search?


They haven't offered that service for quite a while now. I used that to have my original '71 booster rebuilt. Took over a month to
get it back. Looks OK, but haven't installed or tested the unit yet.
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