Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 18:43:19 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject: Re: Syncro front rotor life expectance
In-Reply-To: <4120FD64.3040600@fyi.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Eric,
I have seen this on a lot of vehicles. I think the pads are as much to
blame as the rotors. Salt exposure and then parking is the likely
culprit. If the pads rust in the carriers, this will keep them from
moving properly and wiping the rotors during light uses. If the pads do
not fall out freely when the calipers are lifted, this was part of the
problem. I see many Vanagons the do the winter in Vermont and Upstate NY
where the brakes never last long enough for the pads to properly wear
out. I think that some how your driving habits/salt exposure had more to
do with this failure than rotor quality. If the Van was used daily and
the caliper/pads where working properly, the rust would not have had a
chance to build up.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Eric Zeno
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 2:31 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Syncro front rotor life expectance
I guess I'm not getting my question out just right here.
Has anyone had severe rust on new syncro rotors after
say 2 years, or so, so bad that they are junk? I have, and
there is clear evidence that the materials in these rotors are poor
quality, This is just like what we have experienced with brake
in the early days. Anyone want to see a picture? I just check
my records. These brake do have about 25,000 miles on them.
Pads are about half warn down. That is average for me.
Very good for this area. Most people can not get 20,000
out of any brakes in Pgh.
My dad had a Honda accord. Every 8000 miles the brake
were into the rotors. This was a poor design as a friend had
the same problem. THis is clearly not the case with the
syncro. I'm looking for other subjust to compare notes.
Eric
Karl Wolz wrote:
>Eric,
>
>>From what I've read in this thread, it sounds like your complaint is
>that the rotors are rusty - not that they are worn (my apologies if
I've
>misinterpreted your posts).
>
>Rotors are made of iron, which in practical use is always an alloy -
>different elements are added to the iron to achieve hardness, etc.
Iron
>rusts when it gets wet. No way around that. Your salty roads should
>increase that problem.
>
>Being heated (normal for brake rotors) accelerates the rusting - that's
>simple physics. I've used rotors that were quite rusty. The first
time
>you hit the brakes, most of the rust is swept away.
>
>It would be pretty difficult to predict how long a pair of rotors will
>last, not knowing the answers to questions like, "what kind of pads do
>you use", "are your calipers in good shape", "do you tend to park in
the
>ocean" ;-), etc.
>
>If the rotors are truly worn out (you've checked them with a
>micrometer), then I'd say that something is wrong (see above ideas).
To
>say that a list vendor is to blame is probably a bad call. Any list
>vendor that I've dealt with has delivered top quality merchandise every
>time. Any manufacturer can deliver a defective product (though I don't
>see how with a rotor), but to suggest that any vendor would
deliberately
>supply second rate rotors is pretty harsh.
>
>If you haven't measured the thickness of your rotors, do so, and let us
>know how worn they really are. A bit of rust is normal, and should
>clean off with the first application of your brakes.
>
>Karl Wolz
>
>
>
>
>
| 
