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Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:10 pm

I know that this has been covered a lot, but I know that quality of the same product can change in short order. My question is, are TRW/VARGA master cylinders good quality? My topline disk brake kit is all TRW/VARGA and everyone recommends that disk brake kit all the time and it works great. My '73 super started dripping a lot of fluid today and I don't know which one I should get.

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113611015B

http://toplineparts.com/brakes/master-cylinder-all-super-with-drum-or-front-disc-brakes-89-2006.html

Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:38 pm

Get the Wolfsburg West one. Excellent quality, just like the original. I just installed one and it works great.

Sat Feb 08, 2014 5:15 am

wcfvw69 wrote: Get the Wolfsburg West one. Excellent quality, just like the original. I just installed one and it works great.

did you use a power bleeder as they recommend?

Sat Feb 08, 2014 9:50 am

That's the exact master I bought from Wolfsburg West for my 1974 Super Beetle I didn't bench bleed the master.

I didn't even power bleed anything. I simply gravity bled each brake, starting with the rears, then the fronts--using a clear tube and jar (with an inch of new fluid in the jar, to start). After letting gravity do the work for a while on each wheel, I began the final bleeding with my daughter as the "pedal-pumper".

We did this last by starting with the fronts, and ending with the rears. She'd pump and hold. I'd open the bleeder and close. She'd then let off the pedal. We kept this up until all the bubbles were gone.

The trick is allowing gravity the time to fill in as much space as possible. I can't remember the amount of time I let each wheel gravity bleed, but it was a good fifteen minutes--while constantly keeping an eye on the reservoir and refilling as needed.

That was last August, I believe--and no issues.

Tim

Sat Feb 08, 2014 11:16 am

Wolfsburg West master cylinders (German) are the best. Installed mine ten years ago and still going strong.
I did power bleed my beetle because Wolfsburg West specified it.

Sat Feb 08, 2014 12:54 pm

Thanks guys, I ended up ordering a FAG master cylinder after reading that ATE or FAG was the best many times. Hope I made the right choice lol. Do any of you happen to know what brand wolfsburg sells?

Sat Feb 08, 2014 4:24 pm

R33--they sell the one that works!

I seem to remember FTE on the box. But I can't really remember. Even so, like I said, I didn't have to bench bleed or power bleed. Gravity first, then get an assistant to do the finals, the old-fashion way.

Tim

Sat Feb 08, 2014 4:26 pm

By the way, make sure you put good brake-light switches in that new unit. If your old ones were okay, then re-use. If not, get Wolfsburg West's more expensive ones. If you get cheap ones, you'll be crying for days ....

Tim

Sat Feb 08, 2014 7:35 pm

wcfvw69 wrote: Get the Wolfsburg West one. Excellent quality, just like the original. I just installed one and it works great.

Yes, I did power bleed them w/a home made power bleeder made out of a hand weed sprayer. Works great. I pump it up to 10psi (I installed a gauge in the tank) and then go around starting at the RF, LF, RR, LR. I went around each wheel about three different times until I got all the air out. I bleed AFTER adjusting all the brake pads until they were adjusted correctly.

The German master cylinder is FTE on the box.

Tue Feb 11, 2014 10:54 am

I got it today. The box says FTE and FTE is also molded onto the mc itself. The rubber plugs in the outlets say FAG though. I got it on amazon with sump plate gaskets for $90 shipped. Cheapest place I could find it.