Rear Disc Conversion

[mud68]

Alan, I also thought about going from the caliper and looping it around the back of the damper (in between the subframe) and then attaching it near the top of the original mounting postion. This way you haven't got to up from the caliper then down & under the bottom of the subframe. If your way works i might just stick to that.
Shaun

[Phaeton]

Shaun,

By the time I got back tonight it was too dark, that & the batteries in the camera were flat. Tried to take a picture with the phone but it didn't come out well. But I have found these, not sure if they have been posted before.














They are about all the ones I have, if you need anymore, I'll get you some when I get home tomorrow, camera batteries on charge.

But as I said what I would do is use the existing Mini flexible pipes to come from the subframe & down to near the calliper, then I would make up or have made up some short adaptor pipes out of copper. Male 10mm fittings at one end for the Golf calliper & Female 3/8" (I think, CHECK) at the other, then using a bit of flattened 15mm copper pipe make a bracket which can be soldered to the brake pipe & bolted to the calliper, if that make sense. I think Simon (Esdebe) did something similar on his alternative setup, he may have a picture.

My callipers are mounted upside down, bit of a pig to bleed but good once done.

Alan...

[mud68]

It makes sense now, my calipers are on the right way up. With your set up the caliper brake hose connection is at the bottom so the hose has less distance to travel to the subframe and only has to do a 'u' shape loop. My way I will need longer hoses (I cut the originals off as well).
Thanks for your help.

PS any body want the original drum set up and driveshafts?

[Phaeton]

If you do go for new braided hoses I got mine from Russ at http://www.furorecars.co.uk/ he'll do the Mini ends on if you ask.

Alan...

[esdebe]

I did try to make some short adapters but didn't like the way they looked so I went the route of having braided hoses made by the same guy you mentioned in your post.  I had a 90 degree end put on the calliper end of the hose to reduce the S share to a sort or 5 shape without the line on the top of it if that makes sense...

[jason_l]

Right,

Me and Max both bought new MK4 Golf calipers at Stoneleigh and will both be doing this conversion shortly so expect lots of questions from both of us, although i think Max knows what he is doing more than me! 

I have the calipers, carriers and the mini disc hubs so im guessing the first job will be getting the hubs machined to accept the calipers in the correct position. Alan, Max mentioned that you have an adaptor plate behind the disc? If i get the hubs machined for the discs to sit correctly i take it i don't need the spacer/adaptor?

Jason

[Phaeton]

Jason, Have a look at Jamie's post http://www.muddybuggies.com/Buggies-Forum/index.php/topic,924.0.html he had the tabs machined down an extra 2mm which means the spacers aren't needed. I 'think' the tab needs to be 10mm think (please check) you can then either decide to do Jamie's other mod of moving the carrier inwards 6mm or not.

Alan...

[jason_l]

Hi Alan, thanks for the reply.

After posting up i looked through Jamie's post and thought he probably had them machined down so not to use the spacer as you have. So if i don't have them machined down i will need a 2mm spacer behind the disc then? Hmmmm. Think it will come down to if the machine shop can remove the 2mm of material then i will go that route. If not i will add the spacer, not fussed either way.

I may have to do Jamies version of making the caliper sit further in on the disc as i have 13's and may foul on the wheels if they are not further in!

Did you supply a jig to the machine shop like Jamie did Alan or just hand them over and say what you wanted?

Jason

Jason, Have a look at Jamie's post http://www.muddybuggies.com/Buggies-Forum/index.php/topic,924.0.html he had the tabs machined down an extra 2mm which means the spacers aren't needed. I 'think' the tab needs to be 10mm think (please check) you can then either decide to do Jamie's other mod of moving the carrier inwards 6mm or not.

Alan...

[Phaeton]

They need to be machined down either way as you're taking metal off the sloping side of the hub as it exists at the moment, the Golf calipers bolt to the other side of the lugs. As mine was experimental I had the machine shop just machine enough off until they were flat, then found clearance problems, hence the 2mm spacer to push the drive flange 2mm outwards. Jamie had the advantage of knowing this & got the machine shop to take the extra 2mm off the lugs which is a far better idea. I just supplied my machine shop with the hubs as was, no idea how they held them for machining.

As for running 13" rims I have no issues with them, there's plenty of clearance, I've even had 12" steel rims on there.

Alan...

[jason_l]

They need to be machined down either way as you're taking metal off the sloping side of the hub as it exists at the moment, the Golf calipers bolt to the other side of the lugs. As mine was experimental I had the machine shop just machine enough off until they were flat, then found clearance problems, hence the 2mm spacer to push the drive flange 2mm outwards. Jamie had the advantage of knowing this & got the machine shop to take the extra 2mm off the lugs which is a far better idea. I just supplied my machine shop with the hubs as was, no idea how they held them for machining.

As for running 13" rims I have no issues with them, there's plenty of clearance, I've even had 12" steel rims on there.

Alan...

Thanks Alan. Thats exactly what i needed to know! Now i have to find a local machine shop that can do the work once i have shot blasted the hubs clean.

Thought they would be ok with 13's. The Rally Design calipers i bought say that they are only suitable for 14' wheels and up, but obviously with the small hubs on the mini than it shouldn't be a problem. I may supply the machine shop with the discs also so they can see where the caliper needs to fit.

I have so much to do now, should be busy for months with all the bits i have. Even with the buggy in pieces.

If i get a chance i will do a complete walkthrough on the Caliper conversion so it makes it super clear what is required, even though i think there probably is enough info on here Well done Alan, your a legend!!!!!

Jason

[Phaeton]

Jason, just re-read the post, there are a lot of photos hidden in links in it, used to do them that way then people could load images if they wanted. But this one



Probably gives you the best idea of how/where the carriers fit & where the metal has to be removed from..

Alan...

[jason_l]

Thanks Alan thats perfect!! Just confirms exactly what i thought i needed to do.

Already picked up some disc front hubs, just have to strip off all the other crap thats attached and then im going to shot blast them

Jason

[Mini Mad Max]

Aye! I have a fair bit to do aswell! The guy on the rallydesign may have a point about 13" wheels being slightly too small because the golf mk4 calipers have them fins on whereas the early steel/iron ones didn't because alloy is slightly weaker and conducts away more heat. But if you're moving the calipers in on the hubs, this may not be a problem, especially if the old ones fit under 12" steel wheels! Plus the mini hubs are a lot smaller than the cars with intended use.

Thanks for being so snap happy when doing your conversion alan, it is really helpful  !!

Max

[jason_l]

It wasn't the guy that stated they wouldn't fit 13's Max, it states it in the Rally Design Catalogue. If you look at Alan's calipers they look roughly the same size, i think the fins sort of grove into the caliper, rather than stick out. Im sure we will be fine Max.

Oh and don't forget, the race is still on!!!!!

[Lime&Orange]

Whats the all in weight of these?

Just wondering if they are heavier than the standard drums.