I'm stripping and rebuilding a Gti rear beam to go on my Mk2 and the calipers need replacing. I know that you can fit Mk3 and Mk4 calipers, but what are the benefits of these over Mk2 calipers? Are they a straight forward swap? What sought of price do the calipers go for?
i dont know the logistics of this swap, but apparently you will need carriers, and calipers and hoses. these conversions are supposed to be the way out of the mk2 rear caliper sticking problem, that occurs quite a bit in mk2's jaz
the simplest swap is the mk3 style, the handbrake release mech on these is more protected than the mk2 style an so less prone to siezing. I believe the mk4's are even better in this respect, but involve different hoses, pads etc...
mk3 calipers. The only prob with the mk2's is them sticking. Wy bother with conversion hoses etc for mk4's when the mk3's eradicate the prob for less hassle?
sorry to jump in on thread but do the mk3 calipers go onto mk2 carriers and same handbrake cables etc.?
mk4 calipers are aluminum are they not? so a bit lighter than mk3 items if your into weight saving and all that jazz if your car is pre 88 then you will need post 88 handbrake cables
Later MK3 claipers have the internal spring design, earlier ones are the same as MK2s, to tell look for the big spring MK4s have a stronger handbrake mech, but since they're alloy they corrode and sieze up just as badly as MK2s if you dont paint them up, plus you need to spend the extra on conversion hoses. Also the nipples can sieze in due to the caliper being alloy and the nipple steel! If you have an early MK2 with the handbrake cable at the top, you can mount the calipers 'upside down' the only issue with this is the nipple ends up at the bottom so to bleed em you have to whip off the caliper and hang it the right way up. To fit them all you need is MK2 brake carriers, MK3 ones are the same and I assume MK4 too, not sure on that one. Then fit MK2 pads and discs
with a early mk2 it is better to relocate the handbrake cable to the bottom and the flexy pipe and bracket to the top then there is no need to mount the calipers 'upside down' much safer and easier to bleed the brake's and the early handbrake cable is long enuf
probably not but less chance of messing up plus i woud not like to bleed the calliper when it is ont clamping on something witch same one is bound to do yes the the carriers are much the same i have notest the mk4 ones have a Stanless Steel shim on them did any of the others have this
bleeding in the air is fine unless you stomp on the brake pedal, which isnt required when you use an eezi bleeder. didnt notice any mounting differences at all with the mk4 calipers i fitted to my mates MK2, just chucked em straight on his carriers!
mounting is the same it is at the pad contact that is differnt see photo the mk4 is the botom one note the shim
you would not need to one less thing to mess with just the pad dont stick in the carrier as much on the mk4
