International Vintage Volkswagen Forums

Hi All

Thought I would send a picture of the 356A brakes I am currently fitting on my 65 beetle. They seem to bolt straight on the only difference I can see at the moment is the bearing/seal carrier which I need to replace for 111 501 311 which ensures the brake drum doesn,t foul. Porsche seem to use a shim arrangement but I am currently doing a trial fit so will find out whether I need them later.

Cheers  IMG_1878.JPG You have insufficient rights to see the content.  IMG_1879.JPG You have insufficient rights to see the content.  IMG_1883.JPG You have insufficient rights to see the content.

The rear hub seal kit for the 356 is slightly different to the VW one which should not be used.

We keep the correct kit in stock at Karmann Konnection.... and you will get Pre'67.co.uk discount!!!

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So is this all stock except for the 356a drums (as in, all stock VW parts?)


Also, are there any fins on them? I cant be sure from the pic. I have some 356a (apparently but then I am not a 356 expert) drums which have radial fins as opposed to the ribbed fins on the 356b.

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Hi

Yes I've used original brake pipes and flexible hoses but uprated to a 19 mm ATE master cylinder. On the front brakes you simply unbolt the three bolts on the backing plate and replace with the Porsche unit. The spindles accept the brakes without modification, they even use the same double nut locking arrangement. The rear brakes are slightly different and you need to change the bearing carrier for the type where the hub seal pushes in from the front rather than the rear. If you don't use this type the drum will not seat correctly on the hub collar. I'll post pictures but I have used 356A drums with the fins running around the circumference.
Hope this helps.

Ps You can't use 356 brakes with lowered spindles.  IMG_1878.JPG You have insufficient rights to see the content.  IMG_1883.JPG You have insufficient rights to see the content.  IMG_1879.JPG You have insufficient rights to see the content.

Cheers. Mine is away at a mates right now but will be taking a closer look to see how it has been put together soon.

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Hi Jules,

I have a full set of Porsche 356 B brakes, do you have the rear seals? If so can you sent a set to the Volksworld show.

Ian

Not true. I've fitted A and B brakes to dropped spindles with no issues.

Here's some shot of B brakes and dropped spindles for reference.

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it depends on the backingplate of the brake, some work, some not

my A brakes on drops:

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Hi

Best not sell my dropped spindles then!
This is the problem listening to information on forums. I didn't try to fit the dropped spindles, but understood this to be the case due to them fouling the backing plates.
So what do I need to do?

Cheers

Richard

Depending on the shims you my have to do nothing, if the link pin head rubs the backing plate you have 2 choices, machine the head down to clear, or modify the backing plate to clear.

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Just thought i would share my experience with the 356 brakes. I was fortunate to have early 356 A brakes, later 356 A brakes and 356 B brakes at hand when i wanted to fit CB dropped Spindles. I found on all bar the early 356 A brakes had a clearence issues with the link pin carriers (the Bottom link pin). The early 356 A brakes backing plate was flatter than the rest with a reinforced plate on the outside where the bolts attach the backing plate to the spindle. I had to grind down a 2 mm corner on the spindle mating face to get a flush fit, and had no clearence issues at all. The early 356 A brakes are distiguishable in that they only have 1 bleed nipple on the brass junction union between both cylinders. ie, the bleed nipples are not directly into the cylinders. I did not want to grind part of the lower link pin away, or modify the rear backing plate, as many do, and found that the only way to go was to use the early 356 A brakes. Now having said that, the early A brakes are fairly rare, and the cylinders for them even rarer, howevere, you could fit the later cylinders by cutting out the notch in the backing plate to clear both bleed nipples. I also noted that the drums & backing plates on the 356 A and B brakes are Not interchangable, the B brakes being a bigger diameter. If any one is intrested, i have a full set of later front 356 A Brakes for sale, completely rebuilt with new parts, and the cylinders have a stainless steel sleve in them. I ran them for about about 100 miles, before deciding to drop the car on dropped spindles.