Front Rotors

[mountainkowboy]

First I don't have a Bently manual yet and need to know or find the rotor minimum thickness, I've done a search, but didn't find anything. Second if they are beyond turning, has anyone used Hart brakes? If I have to replace the rotors I'd like to "upgrade" them if possible, and still use the stock caliper.

[helowrench]

Per AutoZone... 9.4 initial thickness, discard at 8.6mm

[mountainkowboy]

Thanks....will be checking that tomorrow. The front brakes are REALLY pissed off about sitting for 10 years.

[Marc]

Per Volkswagen: 9.45-9.5mm initial thickness, minimum thickness allowable after machining 8.5mm, discard 8.0mm. Obviously one could turn them to 8.0 and still be "legal" but it'd be pretty pointless to spend the money on machining them for that few miles of service.

(.372-.374"/.335"/.315")

You'll find that rebuild kits for the calipers can be pretty spendy - but Brazilian-made `66-`71 Type III calipers will bolt right onto the 'Ghia spindles and have the correct offset; they have the larger pistons, probably as big as you'll want to go with rear drum brakes (even Type III) and they are available relatively cheap. Recently Chinese clones have entered the market; I haven't used them myself and probably never will, they don't save that much cost compared to the proven TRW or Varga from Brazil.

You probably should get new front flexlines, especially if they're the originals from the factory. Sometimes it's only them causing erratic operation of the brakes, so it may even be worth doing just those before you get into rebuilding/replacing the calipers.

The correct hoses for your car are 355mm, P/N 311 611 701B. The hoses for a drumbrake balljoint Standard Beetle (113 611 701D) are a little too long at 380mm but will work provided you're extra cautious about phasing them so they won't curl into the rim/sidewall when the wheels are steered sharply. Some actually prefer the longer lines since they allow more latitude if the front end may be lowered someday.

[mountainkowboy]

Thanks Marc, the front brakes are.....notchy....at the moment. I assume from rust build up from sitting for 10 years. Tomorrow was the day slated to figure it out and I needed to know what specs I was looking at, I will also look at the soft lines at that time.

[Fiatdude]

Don't worry about the rust -- Unless it is inside the caliphers -- -- One touch of the brakes and it is gone -- The EMPI brake kits work great --- been using them on all my cars -- Was able to get good caliphers from the local autoparts store and cheaper too -- DEFINITELY new hoses

[mountainkowboy]

Both front rotors mic'd out at 9.15mm, so there basically new, along with the M/C, and the soft lines were changed when they did the M/C, they will be ok for now. I will change all of them out after the move in a month with steel braid lines. I polished the rotors a little to take the funk off them and roughed up the pads, which are also new, and now the brakes are working just fine.

Thanks for all the info and help!

[didget69]

Sans measuring tool, A quick Ghia 'rotor thickness check' I do is to try & slide an 8mm or 9mm open-end wrench over the rotor to determine thickness.

bryan