Shown here are the various...
Shown here are the various parts associated with the rear brakes. The front setup is similar, except for the cable and lever for the parking brake. 1. wheel cylinder; 2. brake shoe; 3. upper return springs; 4. adjuster screw; 5. shoe retaining springs, clips and cups; 6. connecting link.
A lot has to happen when you step on the brake pedal in order for your car to come to a safe stop. Levers, pneumatic pressure, cables, cylinders, springs and friction all play critical rolls in the process, and we place a lot of blind faith in this system, considering how important it is. Braking is indeed a life-or-death science and should be treated as such, that's why brake fade, ever-increasing pedal travel, dragging brakes or ones that lock up while traveling are serious symptoms of a faulty system. If you have any of these problems, it is time for an overhaul.
Since dragging your feet Flintstones-style isn't considered stopping safely in this day and age, consider giving your beloved's brakes the once-over and toot sweet. It is bad enough that Super Beetle brakes, and those of other VW models, are light-years behind modern brake systems, you've got to take extra care of them in order not to run into the back of a tail-lifting Saab or Mercedes on the freeway. Since that's not a scenario we would want to picture, it is good form when restoring a car (or bringing one back from the dead) to make it stop before it can go, and since our little Super has been without an engine for the past couple of years, it wasn't going anywhere and fast.
Here is the master cylinder...
Here is the master cylinder as it was for 32 years. For 1971 and '72 four-wheel-drum systems on Supers, there are residual pressure valves between the master cylinder outlets (hexagon-shaped bolts) and the pressure lines that lead to the wheel cylinders. 1973 and later Supers (and those with disc brakes) have restriction drillings instead of the valves, and you must not interchange the two (to tell the difference there's a V-notch on the mounting flange of the cylinder with the restriction drilling)
There are several major components that make up the mechanical braking system for Super Beetles. The master cylinder is actuated by the brake pedal and is connected to the cylinders at each wheel through the hydraulic brake lines. The two pistons in the master cylinder operate the front and back brakes respectively, and the fluids are from the reservoir located in the trunk and connected to the master cylinder via two hoses. The wheel cylinders have hydraulically-operated opposed pistons that press the two brake shoes onto the drums. In addition to this, the parking brake is operated by a cable and is connected to the rear brakes only.
If you have any doubt about the operation of any of the brakes' components, replace them and remove any doubt. Replacement is easy, and we'll show you how. Another point of interest are the drums themselves, and they should be thoroughly inspected before deciding whether they can be reused again. Any tapering, scoring, or other unusual wear should be noted and considered. If you have calipers, it is a good idea to measure the inside diameters of the drums. If those measurements are greater than 231.5mm for the rear and 249.5mm for the front (the permissible wear limits), they'll have to be replaced.
The tools necessary to do a complete brake rebuild are rudimentary: wrenches, screw drivers and pliers are all it takes (and perhaps a braker bar), and if you have the right parts, this can be easily done in any garage or driveway. Make sure you follow a few safety procedures when placing your car up on jack stands or a lift (if you're lucky enough to access one).
There are three important...
There are three important things in the photo to note: 1) The two hoses that connect to the reservoir are at the top of the picture; 2) The two pressure hoses that head to the wheel cylinders; and 3) The brake and warning light switches connect to the master cylinder and the fuse box/electrical system.
Removing the master cylinder...
Removing the master cylinder is as easy as disconnecting the hoses to the reservoir, unplugging the brake light wires and unbolting the pressure lines to the wheel cylinders. If you're not planning on replacing the lines, make sure to protect them with dust caps.
From inside the car, disconnect...
From inside the car, disconnect the pedal assembly from the master cylinder (though the pushrod) by unclipping the circlip and prying off the pedal return spring. Then just unbolt the two bolts and the master cylinder falls free.
Before jacking up the car,...
Before jacking up the car, we replaced the old master cylinder with the new one by basically doing the above two steps in reverse. We also replaced the brake/warning light switches, and the reservior elbows came with the new cylinder.
Jack up the car (whatever...
Jack up the car (whatever end you decide to work on first) and make sure you block the opposite wheels. Be safe. Remove the tires and place them under the frame of the car, pull off the dust cap and remove the nut, thrust washer and outer tapered-bearing (which we will replace, of course). The drum pulls off easily and underneath is the working end of the brake system.
Though this isn't the greatest...
Though this isn't the greatest picture, we are removing the insides, starting with the upper and lower return springs.