Brake calipers

[Kashufo]

I am trying to get brake calipers for my squareback but there are 2 kinds for 71 and early and 72 up how can i know witch ones i need how can i get part number

[BSQUARE]

Measure the distance between the caliper mounting bolt holes.
The earlier type has a 2 1/4" (57.15mm) spacing, later type has 3" (76.2mm) spacing.

[Kashufo]

They are really hard to find some body told me that you can replace them with 83 BMW 320i but I went to autozone or o'reilly they don't have them any more. any advice on what can I do?

[pitargue]

Which calipers do you need? Perhaps you can find some in the classifies? Probably need to be rebuilt though...

[Kashufo]

I need passenger side but I am thinking to do both sides I try everywhere they only have for early type 3's, and I am trying to get parts but they only have seals and I need pistons. do any one know where I can get them?

[Erik G]

try rockauto

and ebay actually.

how bad are the pistons? will they not polish up?
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[pitargue]

No one has the 42mm pistons. (I searched and searched) I believe, the same pistons work on the early calipers as well as the later calipers.

I think Jim Adney can either rebuild your calipers or has some for sale. I do not know if he has just pistons for sale, though. Best to ask him.

[Erik G]

the pistons are available, I seem to find them anyways

autozone should be able to sell you the whole caliper, tell them it's for a late 914 like a 74

https://www.autozone.com/brakes-and-traction-contr...35763_2362
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[Erik G]

here is the 320i swap info (but it's only direct fit for early 914's and early type3

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/914_BMW_calipers/914_BMW_calipers.htm
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[Kashufo]

I try Autozone and they are out of stock does any one know how I can get a hold of Jim Adney?

[Bobnotch]

[raygreenwood]

What is the date on your car. Be specific.

There are three calipers. The bery early ones with the narrow caliper mount holes as described......and the middle years which are UP TO AUGUST OF 1971....and the third that is FROM AUGUST OF 1971 (1972 model year)

Both the middle and late calipers have the same bolt pattern but wirk in different spindles, have different width and differebt pads.

Rock auto lists a centric remanufactured caliper in stock...only one left for $42.

Also check PMB performance. Ray

[Kashufo]

date that I have is 01/72 how can I get the chassis number

[raygreenwood]

[Tvättbjörn]

Keep looking for the correct caliper with 42mm piston your car has to have. Do not use a BMW caliper, because the pistons are HUGE and the travel / piston diameter of your master brake cylinder is too small for that combination especially in combination with rear brake drums.

Same for the regular bug / ghia caliper with 40mm piston. You will not have enough pressure on your front brakes , because 42mm piston was matched to the rear brakes!

[Tvättbjörn]

[raygreenwood]

[pitargue]

Actually, all type 3 calipers came with 42mm pistons. The later calipers use a larger pad. (wrt 3 types of calipers, search for the differences about the pin in the caliper to guide the piston on the larger calipers.)

But no one makes a 5 lug rotor for the later brakes, if that's a consideration.

Here's something that just popped up on the classifieds.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2264002

Dunno what the pistons look like after sitting for years. I bought some calipers that was sitting for years, and the pistons were beyond saving. (Heavy corrosion)

Chris has some type 3 calipers last time I was there. In fact, he's parting out some type 3's.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=19586 .

Good luck.

[Tvättbjörn]

All Typ3 have 42mm caliper pistons!

I just never did hear about three different caliper versions. I only know about two different version and so the brake rotors.

The early small bolt pattern takes the Bug / Ghia rotor while the later version takes the 411 version which is 1mm thicker.

The early T3 caliper have the same bolt pattern like the Bug / Ghia, but the piston is 42mm and not 40mm. The ATE caliper with two pin look identical on the outside, but the piston diameter is different.

As far as I remember the T3 caliper has also one guide pin inside the caliper were the piston slides over, which I have never seen on any 40mm caliper. Not sure what the reason for that guide pin is.

One way to find out what piston size an early caliper has is if you look at the piston dust seal the original ATE part number will have a 42 as part of the part number on the seal. The Ghia caliper will have a 40 as part of the part number. The part number can be seen after the brake pads have been removed.

The VW installed caliper with 40mm for the Bug / Ghia was made in three different versions:
1st. 2-pin ATE --------- 2nd. 1-pin ATE and the --------- Girling caliper with somewhat oval brake pads.

To the best of my knowledge the Brazilian made VARGA caliper comes only with an 40mm piston and was never installed in German made cars . At least I have never seen any with an 42mm piston.

[Erik G]

add that in the US the beetle never got discs, they were always drum brakes, only the ghia got the discs.

the 42mm pistons are available a number of places, but you need to be looking for a 914 not a volkswagen. the late 914 front calipers are the same as the late type 3, with two bleeder valves.
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