Engineer/CAD - Disc Brakes

snowman · 03-07-2009, 01:45 AM

OK here goes.

I am looking to get some people together to make up are own front disc brake kit to fit early beetles (>66)

The principles are not as hard as you may think. Check out the guys on early bay they are making a kit for around £350.

Read it all its excellent stuff

EarlyBay.com forums • View topic - new wide 5 disc conversion....and cheaper than a csp kit!!!!

disk upgrade pictures by iarmstr1 - Photobucket

If any of you guys work as a Engineer, have CAD experience or can do a bit of free/cheap machining on a prototype then we can get started and have a kit that we can make for are selves so no extra money on top like the CSP kit. All data will be open source for any body who want to use the design.

I personally want a 5x205 setup but we can just make a new hub for any stud pattern we want. I have a bit of Auto CAD and SolidWorks knowledge as I am a graphic designer by trade but I am by know means a pro on either.

Any one is free to help out so we can get the ball rolling. The first thing we need is all the measurement from the spindle and wheel so we can find what disc's and calipers will fit inside the wheel.

I am going to start by looking at kit car calipers and disc's but I think the early bay guys may have done a lot of the work for us

rapidresto · 03-07-2009, 02:00 PM

not meaning to piss on ya chips but personally i'd not bother. You can buy the empi kit these days for less than £500, previously the only kit available was the CSP one at £800! So for an extra £150 over the home brew version the earlybay lot are trying for you'll get a proven, and most importantly tested kit with easily obtainable spares.

VW performance parts, VW tuning, beetle and Camper van performance parts

If its for your own use then go for it, but if you were hoping to sell them then the cost of development, testing and the insurance i assume you'd need against your product failing would make the whole idea uneconomical.

Its often been the way that a demand for a product leads to a small company bringing out a very nice bit of kit which is then homebrewed on the cheap by some and eventually picked up by one of the big manufacturers and a budget version hits the market.

snowman · 03-07-2009, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowman

All data will be open source for any body who want to use the design.

Just thought It could be a good project for people to get involved in.

People could download the CAD data take it to a machine shop get it machined at the best price then go and buy the discs and calipers they want, specified ones that fit of course which will be listed in the download as well.

Maybe it is cheaper to just buy a empi kit or better to get a CSP kit, I mite buy a kit for the time being so I have discs I may even keep them. The idea was to have free data for people who like to experiment and want to have a go.

When I saw the early bay thread I wanted to get involved even though I wouldn't use the kit as I don't have an early bay, If I could lend a had I would but it seems they have it all under control for now

It was supposed to be a bit of fun that people could get involved in and have a play

rapidresto · 04-07-2009, 08:28 AM

cool i'm all for home brew innovation (its what keeps the scene moving forward) but i had the impression you were going to try and market it with all the associated pitfalls!