Karmann Ghia Diac Brakes

[FulsGld]

Hey All;

Are then any issues with installing and using a Karmann Ghia BJ frontend on a IRS buggy? Is this a good upgrade? If I can use this, will I have to install a proportioning valve (drum brakes on the back)? Thanks.

[CairoManx]

Yes, with a proportioning valve you can limit the tendency to lock up and skid the front tires which already exists on a buggy with stock drums which might be even more so with front discs, however what you really need are more powerful rear brakes.

Are you going to run all 4 lug wheels? With Superbeetle front wheel cylinders, these with just drums on the front would provide outstanding braking . http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... id=1712146

[ManxManiac]

That's what I run on the rear of Xena!!! Of course I run the "4 lug to wide 5" steel adapters!!! The Type 3 rears with the stock Type 1 fronts & a single circuit 22mm early VW Bus m/c... work absolutely perfect!!! I keep saying I'm going to change over to Type 3 wide 5 rear drums, however they are quite expensive for good ones!!! The German drums for the 4 lug which just slide off of the 4 lug hub are fairly cheap!!!

However... if you want to run the Karmann Ghia ball joint front disc brakes... as I recall, you would only use the trailing arms/spindles/rotor/caliper & install them on/in a Type 1 Beetle ball joint front beam!!! I think the KG beam will work, but it's ugly & a regular VW tow bar will not work on it!!!
If you want more chassis lift in the front, get a set of trailing arms etc. off a VW Thing, but it would still be drum front brakes, but it would give you 2" of lift!!! OR... check with BlindChickenRacing.com. He can make you lift spindles that use VW disc brakes!!!

With front disc brakes, you would install the proportioning valve in the front brake system, so you can "dial out" the fronts!!! As CairoManx said... the fronts tend to lockup on the front of a buggy with stock VW drum brakes, so front discs would compound the lockup problem!!!
A friend custom built a set of rear disc brakes for his Manx clone & he's running stock drum brakes on the front!!! He has just enough of the front brakes working so it will stop straight & true under hard braking!!!

Remember... on f/g buggies the brake balance is opposite of a front engined vehicle!!! Front engine has 60-70% front & 40-30% rear...... a rear engine is 40-30% front & 60-70% rear!!!

[FulsGld]

Hey Guys;

OK, thanks for all of the GREAT information. This is just too much thinking for me, so I think I'm going to chuck this KG setup idea. A friend just told me about a BJ front beam that he has that I can come get. Think I'll just keep it simple.

[CairoManx]

The new Type 3 wide five rear drums are European made and $99 each or less which isn't bad for car stuff prices now days.

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp ... -501-615-E

[ManxManiac]

Alright... $99.00... not bad, not bad!!! LOL Price has actually come down since the last time I checked!!! Several years ago, the wide 5 Type 3 rear drums made in Denmark were a little over $150.00 each & of course shipping!!! Even with shipping, $99 isn't too bad!!! The Type 3 drums that came with my long axles were very low mileage & made in Germany, so I figured I'd wear them out first, however, I found a place that I can get the 4 lug rear drums for about $45.00 each & I can pick them up in person, cause it's a very short drive!!! LOL

[Brad]

The KG Disc brakes that you refer to off the BJ front end are what a lot of the world have on the VW Bug from factory.

They will bolt straight on to the VW Type 1 Beam from Bug without issues.

You don't need proportioning valves just a Disc M/C which is cheap.

The only different between the KG Stub axles and the Bug Stub Axles ( Drum Brake sort) are in the casting for the Disc Caliper.

Funnily enough in Australia we had next to no Drum Brake 4 stud fronts and we had mainly swing axle rears with 4 stud drum. The majority of our bugs where Swing Axle Rear / BJ Disc Brake front.

Going disc up front is a good thing

[FulsGld]

Interesting...Thanks for the info...