Correct brake Caliper?

I need a new drivers side brake Caliper on my 83 GTI, which has current ones with the VWII stamp on them.  searches on EuroCar parts putting my reg number in and this one comes up, is it correct?

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Looks right, but remember that if you have vented rotors, to get vented rotor pads, as the Solid rotor pads won't fit.

It not that they won't fit, they fit rather nicely, the issue is the Caliper won't go on. The solid rotor pads are about 1/8 too thick.

cheers, it's just that the picture is the wrong way round on how they look on the car so wasn't sure.

For your with original brakes, have you thought about sending them to BiggRed? They refurbish your caliper to 'as new' Probably work out similar cost and you get to maintain originality.

Thanks Chris, trouble is I won't be doing the work myself, local garage doing it along with new brake hoses - they are okay with me getting parts as often difficult to source from their normal stockists.

I see, can't you get any other Genuine mk1 callipers and have them re-furbed ready for when it goes in?

If they are the same, you could have one / both of mine to get refurbished then send me your old ones after if you wanted. I won't need mine for a while.

chrisL said

I see, can't you get any other Genuine mk1 callipers and have them re-furbed ready for when it goes in?

If they are the same, you could have one / both of mine to get refurbished then send me your old ones after if you wanted. I won't need mine for a while.

Thanks Chris, the problem with my Caliper is that the bleed nipple snapped off a couple of years ago, don't know if that will affect the ability to have them refurbished.  Last time the person who bled the brakes managed to do it without the bleed nipple - wonder now if I ought to get one of these ECP ones just before they do the work and then return it unused if they manage to get them bled without replacing?

If you google 'bleed nipple inserts' and have a look it could be another way of fixing your existing caliper. If you took the caliper with the insert to a machine shop they may be able to get the old nipple out, if not they could fit the insert Personally I think the machine shop is the only way to go with these things unless there is enough of the nipple showing to weld a nut onto.

Without a bleeder port, it is hard to get all the air out of the Caliper.

I have usually bought replacements for ones I have had the pleasure of a broken nipple.

Over the years you can tell the rebuilds that had broken nipples because of the "larger" bleeder installed on the new.

I will give you one piece of advise that I have learned over the years…

Teflon Tape the new calipers bleeder.  I usually use Yellow Gas Line Tape, I tape the entire bleeder and not just the threads, once taped I poke a hole where the port is.  I also tape all connections on the brake systems as in Brake lines, hard lines to rubber connections.  I find that this is a great way to ensure that they can be removed easier in the future.  Rear Wheel Cylinders are great to get the tape as well.

I bought the rebuilds from a Local Auto Store and got a Lifetime Limited Warranty.  So the next set is on them.
It was actually cheaper to get rebuilds, than it was to order the Kit.

Two Tools in my Box, that get used the hades out of, Teflon Tape, and Anti-Seize.

I haven't tried my Left-handed Drill Bits on a bleeder, but I know that it would probably work.  I just chose to replace all the Brake parts so I would have known good bits, and not have to worry about them on a new to me car.

Last thought, that little rubber cap over the end of the bleeder is to keep moisture out.  I knew a person who after bleeding the brakes, sprayed out the bleeders with wd-40, and then Packed them with grease and capped them.  He said it kept the bleeders from rusting in the Caliper/wheel cyl.