Interestingly enough, the safety was the very first question I worried about when I had the idea of the reverse mount. I'm not exactly thrilled with the location. I'm going to be putting a cover over the whole thing that has foam in it but quite honestly, if I'm hitting something hard enough that I'm getting near that with my knees, I've probably got some other problems as well. Bugs aren't exactly safety icons, and I'm not planning on changing that too much, but I'm hoping that the fact that I'll be able to out-brake and out-handle any other bug on the road will put me up a notch in the safety department compared to a stock bug.

Jason

Good job on the install! Plenty of ideas to be had here. I was just wondering if the mount would not flex on either of the front corners with your fancy bracket in the middle? I would wonder if it might've been a little better to have two thinner (fancy)brackets extending from the corners of the front of the bracket towards the steering column?

Then again, that assembly might be MUCH stronger than what it looks like in the pictures ;) :D

Just my €0-02 :p

I know it looks a little fragile, but it is in fact very strong. Though it doesn't look it, it's actually triangulated in three dimensions. The rotational forces that would be controlled by the "fancy brackets" are already being handled by the back 2 edges of the frame and the front single bracket is only left to handle vertical forces. The pedal assembly itself actually strengthens the whole thing too. I've stood on it with all my weight and I didn't notice any movement whatsoever. BTW, I weigh about 240!

Jason

Finally got all the brake lines! Had to have a couple custom flex lines made with banjo fittings that will reside on the ends of the MCs. Calipers are no farther along, looks like I might just have a set shipped directly from RPI Equipped to Lanner. What a PITA! At least now I can get all the lines run leaving just the front calipers to arrive and be bolted on. Slow and steady wins the race? We'll see...

Jason

I know how you feel. 1 step at a time. :D

Awsome stuff man!! I am thinking about my future bug project and you have given me some good ideas!! Biggest thing i need to see all the different pedal styles from the two main manufactures up close before thinking anymore.

keep us posted!

WHAT! No piccies? :eek:
I've never seen brake lines before, was hoping for some hi-res shots! ;)
Doing up my MC change right now myself. Using a custom adapter from Lanner to adapt a 944 unit. Found out my front brake lines were trash and needed to move the position of the hose-to-line bracket anyway, so I'm trying to run new hard line. Problem is anything off the shelf was too short or too long. Is turning out to be a real mess under there. :mad:


Jeff-

I'm going to have to have all the lines flared, I'm just going to cut them, I think Walt has the tool to flare them. I've lost the tabs on the front due to my suspension, so I'll be welding on new ones. Speaking of pics, how about some of YOURS!

Jason

:p
I'm gonna stick a couple in here just because...
... and they are off topic too! :D

Mock up of the new front rad...

[IMG]http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL267/.../145433019.jpg[/IMG]

Me, about to weld my new shock mounts on in the wrong place...

[IMG]http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL267/.../145433020.jpg[/IMG]


Both of these pics have sucky stories that go with them, you just gotta love hot rodding.
Now for actual BRAKE related news, I am adding a 944 master cylinder to my brakes but its nothing to see. The only part worth mentioning is that somehow... I got and oddball MC off ebay (that turned out to be junk and am now waiting for another) that didn't fit the adapter that Lanner made for me. He is the man! Quickly whipped me up one special off my measurements. The MC is a tight fit, had to notch a cross brace and the side of the resivoir is like a hair away from the steering linkage BUT brakes gonna be TIGHT!


Jeff-

I think that radiator setup will work out really good. Just get a ducting lip below the front edge to trap air and force it up and the fan on top should be plenty. I'm thinking(hoping) that this will do the trick for you. What's up with that tacked up bracket anyway? Is that an upper shock mount?

Jason

Yep, upper shock mount about to be welded in the wrong place. Ended up having to replace a chunk of frame when I had to cut them back off :mad: .
Struggling with cooling still. Its not circulating, pump is direct drive so I know its working, was worried all the extra plumbing was too much of a load but my Eco buddy says it is air in the system. We'll see.


Jeff-

Did you put a bleeder thingy in like I did? I'm really feeling like most of the problems I'm hearing about are air related, but I really don't know.

Jason

Yep, bleeders at highest and lowest points. Think I got a handle on it today, finally got the t-stat to cycle a couple of times and all seems well... except that the ECU controlled fans are coming on waaay too early, like 150 degrees. May need to go to a seperate controller. The sensor for temp to ECU is about an inch away from the sensor for my gauge, I watched the gauge and was able to see the temp drop exactly when the t-stat is set for (195), so the gauge and it's sensor are spot on. Either the ECU sensor is going bad or the ECU has a hiccup.


Jeff-

But the actual cooling system is cycling properly?!!!

J :D

Seems to be. No test drives yet because no brakes. All 30 feet of cooling lines and two radiators seems to be working though... we will see. :rolleyes:


Jeff-

1.75" piston calipers FINALLY showed up today. This weekend I'll try to get one of those and one rotor shipped off to Lanner to start the caliper adapter and custom hubs.
If I get a chance, I'll try to get some of the lines done this weekend too, but the house is first priority for now.

Jason

Do the temp. guage and the fans both run off of the same coolant temp sensor?
Does this sensor have less resistance as the temperature increases?
If so, couldn't you put a resistor between the sensor and ECU, to trick it into thinking that the coolant is cooler than it really is?



BTW: Awsome bus!

Thanks!
Two diff sensors but they are right beside each other a the t-stat housing. Good idea about the resistor, what I really need to do is invest in a stand alone fan only controller. The new ones have a soft start with variable speed, auto controlled based on temp. Just haven't wanted to spend the $75.
If you've ever seen the current draw off a pair of these big fans coming on... that soft start is THE ticket! Right now, mine almost kill the engine when they kick on. :eek:

Jason, understand about house stuff. Been staring at the '61 ragtop shell I have in the back of the shop knowing it will prolly be a loooong time before I get to start another project.



Jeff-

i dont know if its mentioned at all in any of the above threads if so i missed it what calipers are u planning on running? do u plan to have an ebrake?

The ebrake is a mechanical Wilwood caliper.

do you have more pictures or info like what model caliper? i am trying to do a setup on my bug but i can not figure out witch caliper has the ebrake in it. more info would be a great help

thanks

These calipers do not have the e-brake in them. The e-brake is a separate caliper. Go to the Wilwood site to get info, then call them for specifics. Mine will end up being Wilwood Dynalite 4 pistons front and rear, 1.75" pistons front, and I think 1.5" pistons rear. There will then be another pair of calipers on the rear that will be mechanical for the e-brake.

Jason

ahh ok that makes much more sense i had emailed wilwood a few weeks ago and didnt get any sort of reply who knows. i also have seen a systems like a drum brake that sits inside the rotor as an ebrake i am just thinking that might be rather difficult to get inside a stock vw rotor

thanks for your help

just came across this picture seems basically this is what you are talking about the caliper and then the second mechanical floater caliper for the ebrake

http://www.globalwest.net/WILWOODrpskdwg.gif

that makes a whole lot more sense now

thanks again for the assistance

That's it! I have to make the "bracket" from scratch for my application, but that's the mechanical caliper.

Jason

all the brackets will have to be made from scratch isnt that the fun of it lol be sure to post up pics of it when u have it set up and if i get brave i will do the same of mine lol thanks again for the help

any updates???? :D

A rotor and caliper are finding their way to Canada as we speak. I was able to get them shipped out on Friday. I'm in the process of building a new garage and moving, so progress will be slow for the next couple of months.

Jason

gheesh get to work would yah lol kidding its an interesting thread just didnt want to miss out on updated i will stay tuned :D

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...3.jpg~original


what throttle set up is used in the picture? is that something purchased or your was it custom fab? or is it just a modified stock pedal set?

volkdent what throttle pedal do u intend to use?

also anyone ever messed around with the floor mount wilwood pedals i looked at a few in a pro truck over the weekend and it seems possible.

The floor mount is possible, but I think it will require a false floor and moving the seat back quite a bit.

I'm having a custom pedal built that bolts in to the stock pedal assembly holes as well as the stock MC holes for support. I'm not getting to far with the guy I've been working with, so I may just draw it on AutoCAD and have someone mill it out for me.

The pedal in the pic is an aftermarket roller pedal.

Jason

Talked to Lanner today. Apparently work starts in ernest next week.

Jason

hmm ok i was thinking that cause wilwood shows the floor mount pedal at being like 6 inches i looked at some in a pro truck and it didnt look that big but i guess it was

i know what type of pedal it is but what is that assembly that bolts it to the tunnel?

i know what type of pedal it is but what is that assembly that bolts it to the tunnel?[/QUOTE]


I could be mistaken, but it looks like the stock pedal base.

I could be mistaken, but it looks like the stock pedal base.[/QUOTE]


thats what i was thinking as well i just wasnt sure

Update: Spoke with Lanner today. He's machined a hat from "scrap metal" just to check out the offset he'll need for the hat to be ordered from Wilwood. Looks like we'll have something done in the next week.

Jason

Another boring update: Hats came in from Wilwood with the offset Lanner specified and I've sent one off again today. Should be in the final stretch within about 3 weeks.

Jason

Lanner got the hat. Like a dumb a$$ I only sent him one, like I did with the rotor and caliper, but he needs to machine them both! He did figure that we can do a dual pattern on the hat and hub though, 5x130 for Porsche and 5X100 or 112, we havn't figured out yet, for new VW. Lanner says that the new VW stuff has offsets of around 50, in the Porsche range, so hopefully I'll be able to get cheap VW aftermarket wheels shortly, as compared to fewer choices and higher cost of P car stuff.

Does anyone know what the new VW stuff wheel bolt pattern is?

Jason

5x100, same as Audi TT but not the rest of the Audis. I've got a set of NewBeetle Turbo S wheels in the shop if you need any measurments from them... or maybe you want the set?:D
(they actually belong to a buddy of mine and he WAY overpaid for them, $600:eek: )


Jeff-

I'm talking bout the MkV not the MkIV. Lanner says the MkV is actually different than the MkIV. He knows the MkIV is 5x100, but he thinks the MkV might be 5x112 or something. It's the brand new Rabbit that he's talking about. Do you think it's the same?

Jas