ChrisJ15
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| posted on 22/4/12 at 09:12 AM |
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VAG Rear Caliper Orientation
Im building a Sylva J15 and have spent more time scratching my head than actually building!
Current head scratching moment is the rear calipers.
Ive managed to get 14" minilites to fit over VAG rear calipers by removing some material from the calipers. Not too concerned about this because
I notice that they are the same as my wifes Golf and my car should only weigh around 500Kgs.
Major problem is the handbrake cable routing. The normal configuration would take the cable over the driveshaft and out between the wheel and the
shocker. Trouble is theres little to bolt brackets too and it looks nigh on impossible to prevent it hitting the wheel or the shocker.
If the cable came from the bottom of the caliper the route would be ideal so I thought about inverting the calipers (aparently done with sierra
calipers on some cars) and ive had suggestions about a remote bleed nipple and simply swiveling caliper to get the bleep nipple at the top.
The other idea I had was to swap the handbrake mechanism over which keeps the caliper in its normal orientation for hydraulic use. This presents two
issues, one is I have to drill and tap a new hole for the cable bracketry and im concerned I may drill into a hyrdaulic 'area' or worse
get close to it and secondly the 'arm' that is moved by the inner cable would move in the opposite direction. e.g. from anti clockwise to
clockwise. This does seem to move the piston out in the same way though.
Has anyone detailed knowledge if these calipers or done something similar?
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contaminated
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| posted on 22/4/12 at 12:10 PM |
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Not sure what suspension setup it is on a J15. I have twin wishbones, so the cable loops in over the upper wishbone, curves round the front of the
coilover and down to the handbrake mechanism. VAG calipers with the handbrake mechanisn to the top. I would take a photo but I don't have my
jack here today. I'll have a look and see if I have any. As you look at the wheel the caliper is mounted at about 2 o'clock. They are a
complete nightmare to bleed whether you invert them or not on mine!
Tiger Super Six Independent
www.southernkitcars.com
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nickm
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| posted on 22/4/12 at 07:44 PM |
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Hi
Am also building the J15 and presume i have the same audi calipers, im sure Jeremy used them on his hyabusa J15 might be worth giving him a ring.
Havent filled my rear brake lines yet or run the handbrake cables as it was one of those jobs i was putting off after doing a quick check on the
recessed bleed nipples !
Nick M
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ChrisJ15
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| posted on 22/4/12 at 09:13 PM |
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Hi Nick,
The calipers were Rally Design's OEM hydra mech calipers which also happen to be VAG calipers.
I gave up on the routing in the end and swapped the mechanicals over. I 'tested' the actuating arm in its reverse sense, on the car and it
held fine and also wound out the piston in the same way. I figured that the arms on each side rotate in different ways (one clockwise the other
anti-clockwise) so they were unlikely to make the mechanism 'handed'. Only risk was drilling the hole for the handbrake outer cable
bracket but this was fine.
The cable routing on the bottom of the caliper is really neat.
Im happy to send you some pictures of the mod when you get to that stage if it helps. Id love to hear about your build too.
Regards,
Chris
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ChrisJ15
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| posted on 4/6/12 at 11:58 AM |
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Just fitted the handbrake cables and I've noticed only one of the calpers 'ratchets' all the way out on the handbrake to take up the
slack.
It could be that this mechanism is only designed to work whenn hydraulicaly actuated but it concerns me that one side adjusts on the handbrake and the
other doesnt.
Does anyone know enough about the VAG rear calipers to say if they should self adjust on the handbrake actuator alone?
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