MK1 Standard Brakes

[VWMAT5]

Hi Everyone,

I'm staying stock for the moment with the brake system on my '80 Diesel Golf, and aside from replacing lines and worn components, as well as a flush and bleed of the fluid, is there any other adjustments, ie the cross link, that can be made to improve pedal feel? Any tips and images on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Craig

[Geoffrey Hale]

Hi all ...... I think once you get it all in good working order it's well worth while adjusting this linkage. You are actually adjusting length of the push rod between pedal and master cyl so you don't want to have it pushing on the piston in the master when your foots off the brake pedal. The rod which runs across the fire wall has right and left hand threads. The R/H thread is on the brake pedal end ( skinny nut ) and the L/H on the master cyl end. Mark the rod first so you can keep a track of how far you will turn it later. Undo the nuts and turn the rod so it gets shorter. Hard to say how much to turn it but keep trying the pedal and you should feel it getting better. You need to work up to the max carefully. You still need to feel just a small bit of free play. 1/4 of a turn can make a difference if your getting close to the point where it's actually holding the brakes on a bit. Road test it after each adjustment as you don't want it making the brakes dragging. ....cheers ....... Geoff

[Jarred]

One way to majorly improve brake feel, is upgrading to a newer larger Booster and Master Cyl. I know you mentioned you wanted to keep it standard. But I believe that this upgrade is by far and beyond the best upgrade/modification that I've ever done to my diesel! As per "Peter Jones"'s upgrade thread.

Also, with the diesels - we have a vaccum pump (as the engine itself produces no vaccum like a petrol equiv) these are a basic diaphram pump, and they're prone to being old and worn by this stage. So if you still have no pedal feel (hard to judge if you've not driven many mk 1's??) then your vaccum pump may be kapput. There is a later style pump that is a different mechanism (ie, not a diaphram) but I think they came on 1.6's and later model diesel.

hope this helps.

[revnit]

I myself went the other direction to jarred and peter jones on a couple of mk1s now by fitting gti or cabby discs and calipers as i mentioned in your other thread.

You have probably already seen the brakes on your car at the end of the day they will never be great, I believe brakes are very important regardless of application safety should be number one my mates mk1 with 1.8l 8v with side draft webber etc..etc... its a pretty quik car compared to a stock 1.6l or diesel with all new stock brakes ive driven it many times and you have to plan ahead when braking and god knows what would happen if i got cut off they are ok for one big hit of the pedal (i have bent a pedal doing so) but once they heat up not being vented pretty hopeless.

A basic upgrade is relative inexpensive and if you change engines later on you will regret leaving them stock.

[h100vw]

I used to lift the brake pedal up with the adjuster on the back of it. If you set it so it is just above the clutch pedal the brakes seem so much better.

Playing with the rod never did much IMO. It is used in tension, by pulling one end. Adjusting it so there's less free play is just changing the motion at the pedal.

Cabby brakes would be the way to go.

Gavin

[GRN_VAGN]

Ive got Vented Rotors with the GTi calipers (bigger surface area i think)
and they stop well when you actually push the pedal down enough.

Mates Mk1 has Mk3 brakes all round, and bigger MC, and it stops so well,

[Jarred]

I myself went the other direction to jarred and peter jones on a couple of mk1s now by fitting gti or cabby discs and calipers as i mentioned in your other thread.
...

actually, Ive got GTI D&C's, as well as upgraded MC and Booster. The GTI D&C is pretty good, and actually gives you some confidence in braking, but in combination with the MC and Booster upgrade, it's something else all together, that never ceases to amaze me!

I believe Audi 80 calipers (i think the B2's) also fit on, as well as a mk 2 GTI D&C's.

My opinion is, why just renew/refresh, when you can upgrade at the same time?

[dubsweeper]

here is my set up on my 82 gti cab, mk2 gti calipers and drilled disks , at the mo not stopping that well will need flushing ect......

but does the job ....