PNM engineering rear brake calipers

[Rice crispy]

Pete also said it's not a golf caliper, I thought it was from a mk4 golf

[John_W]

Interesting - perhaps your caliper is different from mine. Certainly my leaky caliper looked identical to those on the VW forum that Geoff’s link above leads to.

Going off-topic a bit in response to Scott, my nephew was not impressed when his VW-engined Skoda deposited its innards on the ground via the sump. Apparently that’s another TADTS. Serves him right for having bought a diesel.

[Bern]

How did VW get a reputation for reliability and good engineering? Maybe that’s just their advertising agency, or maybe that was before the accountants took over.
MOT is tomorrow.

they haven't, its an old wifes tale. Go on forums for mark V and mark VI GTIs, cambelts, timing chains, premature rust, brakes, etc etc etc , they sell overpriced junk to the uneducated masses .

They do have a reputation for reliability, but it goes back to the 70s (and before)! Was a Mk1 Golf a better car than an Allegro or Mk2 Escort? Definitely. Having owned quite a few VWs I'd say that the quality has dropped over the years, but also the quality from other manufacturers has improved. The build quality of my T5 is nothing like that of the T4 it replaced, but still much better than a Transit of the same age. We've had our Lupo for 10 years and 80k miles and apart from service items I've had to replace the alternator, indicator switch and the water pump.

[John_W]

MOT passed . Although he did remark that the RHS handbrake (the new one) wasn’t as good as the LHS one!

Bern,
You’re right that the reputation was probably earned when other manufacturers hadn’t pulled their socks up. But I still think that calipers shouldn’t leak after 6000 miles, certainly not regularly enough for internet forums to bitch about it.

[Bern]

You are quite right, the calipers shouldn't leak after 6,000 miles, that is very poor!

Congrats on the MOT pass. I'm waiting for the parts to rebuild one of my front calipers (original), after almost changing lanes unintentionally on the M5 on Monday when I applied the brakes - looks like the RHS front was sticking and getting hot, so when needed it didn't actually work!

[Rice crispy]

So I will be on my 3rd one in about 7000 miles. This one is leaking from the handbrake seal. Peter is going to do me a special price on a new one and delivery is due Monday apparently.

[John_W]

... looks like the RHS front was sticking and getting hot, so when needed it didn't actually work!

That’s why I decided to go to Wilwoods. The originals just kept needing constant attention. Mind you, I never had a scary moment like you .

Rice crispie,
A new one sounds like a good idea. Good luck with this one, and I hope you get a good summer to try it out. I certainly plan to exercise mine as often as possible (Applecross, Mallaig & Skye are booked in 3 weeks time, then Ullapool and Scourie a couple of weeks after that).

John

[Rambo]

The Bealach na Ba should be a good test for your brakes and/or leaky calipers John Watch out for the long drops though

And enjoy Mrs Fish's scallops and wild rice

PS And no, that isn't me peeing into a snowdrift !!

[John_W]

PS And no, that isn't me peeing into a snowdrift !!

Well, whoever it is must have been drinking something pretty powerful for it to have been that effective in clearing the road. A really neat job. Talisker?

[Saltire]

PS And no, that isn't me peeing into a snowdrift !!

Well, whoever it is must have been drinking something pretty powerful for it to have been that effective in clearing the road. A really neat job. Talisker?

More likely to be Laphroaig with that cleaning power, I would have thought

[Giniw]

[daveiow]

Been thinking of getting these for a while but slightly concerned as I agree VW build quality is not what it was.
My son had a 2000 m/y Mk 4 Golf and it was beautifully put together.
I also had a 2001 Audi A4 and that was probably the best built car I will ever own, 7 years and 50k miles of ownership later and I could see no real deterioration in interior or exterior at all. It was a mistake to part with it but it was 10 years old with 130k on the clock SHMBO wanted a change
After a flirtation with a Peter Shreyer designed Kia Sportage I went back to a 2014 Audi A4 Allroad,technically a better car but not the same quality build as the old one.
I now have a Q5, better, but not that undefinable bullet proof feeling I always had in the 18 year old A4
David

[John_W]

David,
If your originals still function well, keep them. I changed because I could no longer get the handbrake on mine to work well enough to pass the MOT, and I couldn’t get the replacement Dormans to work properly.

[John_W]

Rice Crispy,
Did the new caliper solve the leaking problem?

I noticed a puddle of brake fluid on the garage floor today under my refurbished RHS rear caliper. On inspection it’s leaking from the piston seal again! PNM rebuilt it with a new piston and seals a year ago, and I’ve only done just over 2,000 miles since then. I see no point in getting them to rebuild it again.

If your new caliper sorted it, I’m going to see what sort of deal they will do on a new one. I’m certainly not impressed with these VW calipers, but PNM seem willing to sort something out.

John

[Rice crispy]

John, yes it did fix it but I must admit given this is the third one I don't expect it to last long and will consider an alternative if it goes again
David

[John_W]

David,
Thanks. I will try fitting a new one (not rebuilt). I am waiting for Pete at PNM to get back to me once he has checked his stock. As you said in an earlier post, the type of caliper they use has changed and mine are the older type. I hope the new ones are more fluid-tight!

When Pete gets back to me I’ll see what options I have.

John

[Jamie N]

John, yes it did fix it but I must admit given this is the third one I don't expect it to last long and will consider an alternative if it goes again
David

I know a guy that works in a garage specialising on VW's and I asked him about the golf calipers, he said they are well known for leaking brake fluid
and regularly needing repaired.
These are the best rear calipers I have found, 2010 /11 Civic Type R, these lock the rears solid and never had any issues with them on my
own Civics over the years or when fitted to the Elan, probably the easiest method of changing pads you will find as well, remove the bolt from the lower slider,
rotate the caliper upwards on the top slider and remove the pads, piston also simple to retract. Although not the simplest to initially fit I wouldn't use anything else.

[Rice crispy]

Jamie, I assume you had to make new mounts for the calipers and handbrake?

[Jamie N]

Jamie, I assume you had to make new mounts for the calipers and handbrake?

I made up new 6mm brackets and drilled them corresponding to the Honda carriers and the mounting points
on the Elan hub as in the picture, the bracket for the handbrake cable needs a bit reshaping in order to clear the
back of the hub, nothing major though.
The 2nd picture shows how easily pads are changed by simply swinging the caliper up, no springs or jammed pins
to deal with on these, and the other great thing is being fairly recent, they will be available for plenty time to come,
and cheap, you could even pick up a pair of used ones in good condition for less than a hundred quid. Just doesn't
make sense to spend several hundred on calipers known for leaking when you could have superior rear brakes
for a fraction of the price. I have had 2 Elans with these go through MOT, both passed way above the minimum level required.

[david924s]

I bought Jamie's SE just after Xmas and I can attest to the quality feel and operation of the handbrake, no need to pull it up vertical to get the handbrake to work and I can release it without any gymnastics due to the different operating mechanism and lever. Some people might get upset it's not a Lotus part but then again some of the replacements being discussed aren't either.

Have to say though I have had a few Audis VWs and Skoda all of which have the same or similar calipers front and rear and never had one leak in many years, also changed the front discs and pads on my Daughters Golf TDI last weekend and such an easy job two bolts to remove pads just clip in no pins, sliders or whatever, push the pistons back a little and refit, 15minute job per side I know the rears will be more awkward with the handbrake to remove etc. but don't expect any major upsets. That was on an 03 Golf with 123K miles think the difference is it gets used daily whereas when cars stand seals tend to stick then when in use leak.