Front discs/Front Beam

In regards to your first Q- many owners use these drum covers to clean up the look of those front disk brakes- https://www.cbperformance.com/product-p/4430.htm

@Lfepardo posted:

In regards to your first Q- many owners use these drum covers to clean up the look of those front disk brakes- https://www.cbperformance.com/product-p/4430.htm

Excellent! thanks mate. I thought I'd seen them before, but after googling every description I could think of I gave up. Cheers 👍

Re the second question, I think I'm just going to go ahead and get a new beam assembly. After talking to a local mechanic here who just pieced together one good front end out of three, I can't see it's worth the effort trying to use an old beam.

Thanks again.

CB’s front brake kit has smooth aluminum fronts.  They do increase track width, which every wide 5 kit does, whether they admit it or not.  These also save significant unsprung weight. You need a beam, buying a narrowed beam is a no brainer.

X2 on every word of Rick's response -- every last word.

For reasons you've already mentioned, we abandoned the China beams, or trying to refurbish German beams, years ago and all of our Spyder front beams are made by Pete at Airkewld (and have been for probably 8 years now? IDK, time flies so fast)  At first i was nervous about having a custom machined Delrin insert that replaced the outer bearing and inner Micarta, more so the outer bearing since inner Micartas are largely junk these days, but then when outer bearings turned to $h!t it was a no brainer, and it has proven to be a non-issue.  I've serviced and sold on consignment some our first cars to use Airkewld's beam and the front suspension was as tight as the day it left.  I've also had to make some replacement inserts on our lathe (install error and low stock on a time crunch) and it isn't rocket surgery.  

@Stan Galat posted:

X2 on every word of Rick's response -- every last word.

Agreed. If you need a beam, just get a 2" narrowed beam and whatever disc brake kit you want. It's a literal no-brainer. All the online chatter about bump-steer is just that. In the real world, where I live, they work just fine. And I DRIVE mine!

I personally don't understand buying the inexpensive cast iron "barbell" brakes. They are really heavy, adding weight exactly where you don't want it: unsprung weight.

As Stan has stated MANY times: buy once,cry once.

I agree with everybody above- go the 2" narrowed beam and stay away from the heavy cast iron front brakes- this is exactly where you DON'T want to be adding weight!   One thing I will add- are drop spindles useful here?  I know nothing about Spyder ride heights-  @DannyP, @chines1, or anybody else in the know please step in.  I know they do add a little width as well, but if a front VW beam is lowered much more than a couple of inches, these will allow for some suspension movement vs almost constantly being on the bump stops with a very rough ride as the result.

No need for drop spindles on a Spyder. Ride height is pretty close to stock, shortened shocks are not required.

I believe the beam is mounted a bit higher than it would be if compared to a Bug, so that completely solves that conundrum. In a Beck, it's 3" above the floor pan, in a Vintage it's 2" above. The beam is welded on top of the main frame tubes.

@DannyP posted:

No need for drop spindles on a Spyder. Ride height is pretty close to stock, shortened shocks are not required.

I believe the beam is mounted a bit higher than it would be if compared to a Bug, so that completely solves that conundrum. In a Beck, it's 3" above the floor pan, in a Vintage it's 2" above. The beam is welded on top of the main frame tubes.

Ahhh... so that's how it's done!  Thanks for the info Danny.

Thanks all, lots of food for thought. The exchange rate, shipping, import duties etc,  all weigh in to the decision-making unfortunately. Pretty much doubling the costs of anything from the US at the moment.

@550aus posted:

Thanks all, lots of food for thought. The exchange rate, shipping, import duties etc,  all weigh in to the decision-making unfortunately. Pretty much doubling the costs of anything from the US at the moment.

In related news: I found a shift actuator for my Smart in Italy for <1/2 what US sellers were asking. I lamented the $53 shipping but it’s going to be here in 4 days. Faster than I get most orders from CB in California. Hopefully I don’t get hit with a surprise duty. I’ve never had one on any other part from Italy prior.

@550aus posted:

Thanks all, lots of food for thought. The exchange rate, shipping, import duties etc,  all weigh in to the decision-making unfortunately. Pretty much doubling the costs of anything from the US at the moment.

Check out CSP products from Germany. They may or may not be a better exchange rate/ duty etc.

@DannyP posted:

Check out CSP products from Germany. They may or may not be a better exchange rate/ duty etc.

Thanks mate, will do 👍

Their wide5 front brakes aren't cheap, but they are well made. They make solid rotors or vented for a ball-joint beam(or link-pin as well). They use a single piston GM caliper, which is iron and a bit heavy. But they do work so that I could recommend them.

@DannyP posted:

Their wide5 front brakes aren't cheap, but they are well made. They make solid rotors or vented for a ball-joint beam(or link-pin as well). They use a single piston GM caliper, which is iron and a bit heavy. But they do work so that I could recommend them.

They've got some goood stuff for sale on there. Those Swiss made Cagero beams look like a nice bit of gear

@550aus posted:

There is a technically correct reason the AC Industries' VW drum to disc brake conversion has that center hub appearance.  It is because that's what a ball-joint VW brake drum looks like.  Logically, if one is converting a classic VW from drums to discs, one would strive to make the conversion as aesthetically unnoticeable as possible.  The "look" has nothing to do with Fuchs.

550 Spyders used 356-A brake drums, or maybe Carrera drums (or maybe 356-B drums on later production).  The popular aluminum "wheel skinz" shown by @Lfepardo in pictures above are cover-up fakes of the 356 drum 'look" to hide whatever drums or discs you have; because if they are not 356 drums, they don't fit the look of a 550.

Porsche 356 Carrera 550 SPYDER Brake Drum Original Part! 1 Piece | eBay

Bottom line is:  Whatever brakes you choose, the appearance doesn't matter because you are going to cover them up with wheel skinz anyway.

Edit:  Of course, if you want to go with actual 356 brakes all around ($$$$$), you could always do that and "save money" on the skins.      If so, you might want to think about a link-pin front instead of ball joint.

I ended up trimming the "drum" area off my front drum skins, making a flat plate that simply covered the center section inside of the 5 x 205mm bolt pattern. The offending area interfered with the calipers.

@DannyP posted:

I ended up trimming the "drum" area off my front drum skins, making a flat plate that simply covered the center section inside of the 5 x 205mm bolt pattern. The offending area interfered with the calipers.

we do the same.  They clear some brands and interfere on others, so we just trim them all.  You can't see the edges past the windows not he wheels anyway, so you'd never know the difference.

I had a fit problem with my drumskins.  Not related to the rotors like Danny but the rims I used.  Like Danny, I trimmed the drumskins.

I had fun imagineering the trimming jig.  Took 2 days to make the jig, 30 minutes to trim 4 drumskins.  I wonder if the health federalis have a rabbit hole vaccine that doesn't work.

@RS-60 mark posted:

There is a technically correct reason the AC Industries' VW drum to disc brake conversion has that center hub appearance.  It is because that's what a ball-joint VW brake drum looks like.  Logically, if one is converting a classic VW from drums to discs, one would strive to make the conversion as aesthetically unnoticeable as possible.  The "look" has nothing to do with Fuchs.

550 Spyders used 356-A brake drums, or maybe Carrera drums (or maybe 356-B drums on later production).  The popular aluminum "wheel skinz" shown by @Lfepardo in pictures above are cover-up fakes of the 356 drum 'look" to hide whatever drums or discs you have; because if they are not 356 drums, they don't fit the look of a 550.

Porsche 356 Carrera 550 SPYDER Brake Drum Original Part! 1 Piece | eBay

Bottom line is:  Whatever brakes you choose, the appearance doesn't matter because you are going to cover them up with wheel skinz anyway.

Edit:  Of course, if you want to go with actual 356 brakes all around ($$$$$), you could always do that and "save money" on the skins.      If so, you might want to think about a link-pin front instead of ball joint.

😄 I'm not quite that devoted to an authentic vibe

Interesting to learn about the look of those drums/disc brakes, I had no idea. Most of them are hidden behind hubcaps. I only mentioned Fuchs as that was what they reminded me of.

@MusbJim posted:

😄👍

@RS-60 mark posted:

There is a technically correct reason the AC Industries' VW drum to disc brake conversion has that center hub appearance.  It is because that's what a ball-joint VW brake drum looks like.  Logically, if one is converting a classic VW from drums to discs, one would strive to make the conversion as aesthetically unnoticeable as possible.  The "look" has nothing to do with Fuchs.

550 Spyders used 356-A brake drums, or maybe Carrera drums (or maybe 356-B drums on later production).  The popular aluminum "wheel skinz" shown by @Lfepardo in pictures above are cover-up fakes of the 356 drum 'look" to hide whatever drums or discs you have; because if they are not 356 drums, they don't fit the look of a 550.

Porsche 356 Carrera 550 SPYDER Brake Drum Original Part! 1 Piece | eBay

Bottom line is:  Whatever brakes you choose, the appearance doesn't matter because you are going to cover them up with wheel skinz anyway.

Edit:  Of course, if you want to go with actual 356 brakes all around ($$$$$), you could always do that and "save money" on the skins.      If so, you might want to think about a link-pin front instead of ball joint.

A couple of years ago I went to and open house at a local Porsche collector’s warehouse. As I was wandering around I noticed an unusual site tucked under a staircase. It was a set of Carrera brakes, including a split transmission and axles.

Interesting guy. Had a great collection of aircooled stuff. I was hoping I had a picture of the brakes, this is the closest I got. They were sitting over against that wall with tons of other VW Porsche stuff.