Dropped spindles, disc brake flexi - really?? or HELP!

Early Bay Forum

Help Support Early Bay Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

neilswheels

Well-known member
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
745
Reaction score
23
Location
leafy surrey
Year of Your Van(s)
1971
Van Type
Ex Westy,
I'm finally getting around to fitting my rather expensive dropped spindles, but I cant believe this is how the brake flexi fits. It seems at a rather tight angle, possibly too short on full lock one way, and in the way on the opposite lock, and this isn't sitting on the floor, so the caliper's only going up, so the flexi will be even tighter. Anyone on here done this, is this right, or are you running new flexi's/different bracket loction? Can I junk the hard line and bracket and just have a longer flexi made up? Whats the deal people??


 
i would go for longer stainlees steel flexis you need female both ends need to fit with the wheel on as too long and may foul the wheel its never gona be plug and play thats the joys of moddin your bus :shock:
 
i would go for longer stainlees steel flexis you need female both ends need to fit with the wheel on as to long and may foul the wheel its never gonna be plug and play thats the joys of moddin your bus :shock:
 
There's two lengths of flexi for the bay and it looks to me like you have the short ones when you need the long ones.
 
This is the same problem as have atm although mine was more severe because I have had my chassis notched and running a narrowed beam. I am counting myself very lucky that I found it in time cos the hoses were very worn almost to breaking point ! I have moved the bracket further round but I don't think it's the answer, I'm looking at braided hoses with a 90 degree bend at one end and routing the pipe up the inner arch somehow. I would urge anyone that's had any lowering/narrowing done to look at this.
 
I think I'm going to run a hard line from the inner arch up to the beam, where I'll mount a tab similar to the stock one to enable a flexi to run out on top of the arm to the top ballpoint where I'll make another tab to join and secure the flexi to another hard line that goes to the calliper. Hopefully this will keep it all away from the wheel. I'm surprised no ones mentioned this before, but thinking back to lowering bugs, we always used stock hoses and it was never an issue, but using the stock stuff on my bay just doesn't seem to work
 
A little update on what I've decided to do.

First i clearanced the backing lates for the bottom balljoint. I didn't want to cut a big slice out of it so I added a bulge around the bottom balljoint

Next was what to do about the hose. In mucking about with this I've realised that a mount ontop of the top balljoint is the best place for it, but my hose was way too short, and my original idea of running it along the chassis and out of the arm wasnt going to work either, so I made a bracket that attaches using the caliper bolts, and moves the hose down to its 'stock' location, about where it would be if the arms were still under the spindle. (the other bracket is the stock one for comparison)

This is it all assembled. It all misses, but I'm gonna keep an eye on everything, but I'm much happier with this arrangement.

 
Hi Neilswheels, I've just fitted a pair of dropped spindles today and am faced with the same problem. I'm also a bit hacked off that the manufacturer/supplier doesn't mention this....very annoying! Anyway, to change the subject, what size of tyres do you run on the front, and is there any issues with rubbing? Many thanks.
 
I fitted a hose straight to the caliper without the last solid piece.
 
TeamBrian said:
Hi Neilswheels, I've just fitted a pair of dropped spindles today and am faced with the same problem. I'm also a bit hacked off that the manufacturer/supplier doesn't mention this....very annoying! Anyway, to change the subject, what size of tyres do you run on the front, and is there any issues with rubbing? Many thanks.

Not got the 'right' wheels n tyres on yet, plan to run 165 70's on 15 x 5 1/2 rims, see what happens. Pretty sure its gonna hit the top of tub tho. Theres a big thread on here on tyre and wheel/stance, have a look there, most seem to use a 55 profile tyre on a 15, not sure about 14's.
 
stuif said:
I fitted a hose straight to the caliper without the last solid piece.


I looked at doing that, but the reason vw run it to the bracket on top of the arm and then a hardline is to keep it away from the wheel when you turn. Early bays use just a flexi, but they have a special bracket to hold the flexi away, and the hose goes to the center top, not the back of the wheel as on a disc brake bus.
 

Latest posts

Top