Aircooled VW South Africa

Sweet!

Pine wrote:I can't get a definite answer from TheSamba, but I need two connecting links (arrowed in the pic below) from a Type 3 - no-one can tell me if those off a Beetle will fit?

I have sourced two Beetle connecting links, and installed them in a mock-up of the rear brakes (the actual backing plates destined for the buggy will be cleaned, and the shoes bonded), it seems like they will do the job. Just one question - am I correct in saying that the leverage when applying the handbrake will only push one shoe (the one to the left in the pic below, vice versa on the other side) against the brake drum?

hey pine,you must still let me know about that chassis that we talked about before you went to george ,nudge nudge ,wink wink ,you still remember what im referring to?????????????

Yip, I do - just a bit cash strapped after the Tour, you know...

If it's the same one, maybe we could do a deal together pine?

Perhaps we could work something out

The missing link. (Measurements from type 3- 5bolt rear drum-backing plate assembly):

Type 3- link dimensions:

Thickness-4mm.
Width- 20mm.
Overall length- 165mm.
Closest distance between the two cutouts-134mm.
On the one side,where the lever for handbrake fits,there is a stepped cutout.
The step there is 5mm, so the further distance between the cutouts,is 139mm.
Can take more measurements if you want.

Unfortunately dont have a beetle backing plate assembly to compare.

Handbrake works on both shoes. There is maybe 20% more force applied to the forward shoe,(because of handbrake cable pulling whole shoe assembly forward).The pin on the end of the lever sits in the rear brake shoe. The leverage action results that some force is also applied to rear shoe. Handbrake was mainly meant as parking brake. No wear of shoes occur when drums dont move. That is probably why designers didnt bother to have even pressure on forward and rearward shoe.

Hope this helps,(my ingels nie altyd so goed).

Dankie Dawie!

I will measure the Beetle connecting link tomorrow to compare. There is some minute play on the hand brake lever on the shoe, but it will be cancelled out by the slight spring tension in the cable.

There is a general belief that if you pull up your Beetle handbrake high to park after driving, it pushes your (heated) rear brake drums oval, but I have always taken it with a pinch of salt?

Ja-nee, a whole 25kg bag of pool salt, metallurgically speaking.

Dawie wrote:The missing link. (Measurements from type 3- 5bolt rear drum-backing plate assembly):

Type 3- link dimensions:

Thickness-4mm.
Width- 20mm.
Overall length- 165mm.
Closest distance between the two cutouts-134mm.
On the one side,where the lever for handbrake fits,there is a stepped cutout.
The step there is 5mm, so the further distance between the cutouts,is 139mm.
Can take more measurements if you want.

Unfortunately dont have a beetle backing plate assembly to compare.

Handbrake works on both shoes. There is maybe 20% more force applied to the forward shoe,(because of handbrake cable pulling whole shoe assembly forward).The pin on the end of the lever sits in the rear brake shoe. The leverage action results that some force is also applied to rear shoe. Handbrake was mainly meant as parking brake. No wear of shoes occur when drums dont move. That is probably why designers didnt bother to have even pressure on forward and rearward shoe.

Hope this helps,(my ingels nie altyd so goed).

Dawie, I took some rough measurements of the Beetle connecting link this morning with a steel ruler, and it is very close to what you got, thanks for your trouble. So I think we can now assume that they are identical. They are also not side-specific, in other words there is only one shape, with an indentation in the middle for strength. You just flip it to use it on the other side.

I still can't figure out how the leverage from the hand brake cable can expand both brake shoes, though?

Ron&Gill wrote:Ja-nee, a whole 25kg bag of pool salt, metallurgically speaking.

LOL @ Ron

Pine, I am not so sure that they are all-side-same. I have the same on my Notch but that spring that you clamp to the top of that plate lies in the groove, but it can't if you flip it over. There is that little clip too, number 25 in your drawing, it doesn't fit if you flip it over... ??? I see you don't have that number 25 in your photo.

I went through a box at a VW spares shop, and could only find the one side - but what you say, makes sense. What is the purpose of the clip, if the spring gets tension, it will anyway straighten out?

Yeah, well like I said, when I did my Notch brakes, I found one-side-same, but it didn't look right. I put it back that way, but it still didn't look right... Works fine, though.

In ETKA (Google ETKA if you dont know what it is) for a 68 T3 it is part number 113 609 631A and is called a Push Rod.

In remarks column, where left and right is indicated, there is nothing, indicating it is interchangable.

Thanks Tom, it is the same with MidAmerica Motorworks - they call it a Push Bar, and list the same part (no 382-402) for the '58-'77 Beetle, '71-'79 Super Beetle, '56-'74 Ghia and '62-'73 Type 3 - also no LH or RH specified.