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Time to do some work on the brakes and struts.
by
fatmobile
on 24 Jun, 2025 22:55
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Drove into town and the RF caliper started getting hot.
I hammered on it, that didn't release it much.
Still had to pour some water on it. Then never hit the brakes again all the way home.
I suspect the front rubber brake line.
Opened the bleeder screw and put the pressure bleeder on the master.
Not much came out.
It needs some front struts too.
And some tires.
Time to spend some time and money on her.
rabbitroofrack by
vwfatmobile, on Flickr
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#1
by
ORCoaster
on 25 Jun, 2025 20:21
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I want to know why there is a black outline that is so wide around the windshield.
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#2
by
fatmobile
on 25 Jun, 2025 21:13
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That's the stock trim for the '84 glue-in windshield.
I think I have a spare NOS one of those somewhere.
I have a pair of front calipers already rebuilt and sitting in the brake bucket,
not too deep into the hoard, all painted blue,... because that's what color I had at the time.
Ordered up some bilstein strut inserts for the front, it has the externally threaded housings.
Been meaning to do this for a while, should have had them ordered and sitting in the hoard all ready.
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#3
by
ORCoaster
on 26 Jun, 2025 19:19
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I put a set of Bilsteins on the Caddy, and it lowered the front end significantly. Now I am looking for the stock blocks and shackles I took off when I put in a 3-inch lift back there. I have too much rake on it, and on some bumps and potholes, I rub the wheels on the flares up front.
I had heavy-duty springs on the front, but those won't work in the new strut housings. I put a 1.5-inch rubber puck in there, but it wasn't enough. Lowering the rear is my next move.
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#4
by
fatmobile
on 28 Jun, 2025 10:50
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#5
by
ORCoaster
on 28 Jun, 2025 19:20
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Those inserts might do just fine. I bought some off Craigslist that were complete, springs, cartridge, and housing. So mine were very different. I ended up removing the 3-inch spacers I had between the leaf springs and the axle yesterday. I dropped it back to 1 inch of lift. If I need more, I will add air to the shocks and raise the bed that way.
I think it looks way better than being raked like a 1970 GTO or something. I think it will handle better, too, and not skip around the corners unloaded. It did that when I was driving it for a week while I painted the canopy. I need that heavy bugger on the back end to keep it down and keep my stuff dry.
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#6
by
fatmobile
on 29 Jun, 2025 21:45
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I know bilstein also offered a sport strut that was shorter.
Maybe that's what you ended up with.
I don't think they still make the bilstein heavy duty struts for the rabbit. Those were amazing.
I hope these are the right inserts.
I wanted a set for a '79 Rabbit because my housings are threaded on the outside, like other german-made MK1s.
Late cabby struts are also threaded on the outside but the inserts are taller.
The cap will only catch 2 threads at most with those inserts in these housings.
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#7
by
fatmobile
on 02 Jul, 2025 20:32
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I forgot how hard it is to install those teflon sheets in the brake slider pin rubbers.
Got one giving me a problem.
Seems like the rubber is too soft on that one, I might try a different rubber.
Got the bilsteins in. One of the caps that came with it was threaded completely wrong.
Had it screwing on at an angle. I just used the old cap on that one.
Both outer CV boots were torn. So dealt with that.
Ball joints were good.
Still need to swap the rebuilt proportioning valve on.
And ordered 2 new tires.
Threads were showing on the edge of the old one, yikes
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#8
by
ORCoaster
on 02 Jul, 2025 20:58
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Many upgrades. It must be summer fever to fix the cars. I might try to get my Pickup in the classic car parade over the weekend. That would be something different.
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#9
by
fatmobile
on 03 Jul, 2025 23:00
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That's kind of why I'm getting this up to snuff.
There's a car cruise the 1st of August.
I was in it before and there was much love for the Rabbit.
Now there are fewer holes, some other improvements.
Might get some welding done on it too. I still have that door corner to fix.
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#10
by
ORCoaster
on 04 Jul, 2025 19:54
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No cruise for me this weekend. I am working on a carport, and that will take all my free time today and tomorrow. I don't generally work on Sunday except around the house. I do need to wash the pickups. The dust and moist mornings are combining to make them look dirty and not so shiny.
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#11
by
fatmobile
on 07 Jul, 2025 19:27
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It's back on the ground.
Took it for a drive and it fell a little squirly,.. forgot to adjust the camber.
Or is it caster?
I'm kind of at the top of a hill and I found the spot out front on the street that is level.
Still need to adjust the toe.
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#12
by
fatmobile
on 10 Jul, 2025 22:05
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The brakes still feel spongy.
Rebuilt proportioing valve.
Installed a rebuilt vacuum pump, the old diaphram style.
Rebuilt the calipers and new front rubber lines.
I'm going to try pressure bleeding it again.
Maybe replace the rear rubber lines?
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#13
by
RabbitJockey
on 11 Jul, 2025 10:23
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try bleeding them again now that you've driven it a little. make sure every part is moving smoothly, like both front calipers and both rear slave cylinders. i've gotten a crappy feeling pedal from locked up wheel cylinders and stuck slide pins before.
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#14
by
fatmobile
on 11 Jul, 2025 21:17
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I took the time to make sure the pins were sliding good.
This is probably the first time the front rubber lines have ever been replaced on this old car.
The rear ones have been changed but probably not in over ten years.
I have replaced everything inside the rear drums a couple times in it's life with me.
Not sure how long ago the last time was.
I should pull them off and take a look.
Problem could be that, since it's my car I will sometimes put used parts on it,
cuz I gotta do something with them, ha.
Can't put them on someone else's car.
I do have a set of the bigger rear drums from a MK3.
But should probably figure out what's wrong with the stock brakes before I try to upgrade/mod them.