Date:         Wed, 13 Oct 2004 10:02:23 -0400
Reply-To:     Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Subject:      Re: Brake caliper backing (noise damping) plate
Comments: To: Craig Oda <craigoda@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <b3a1e7ad04101221204c8d1814@mail.gmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Craig,

         The "half-a-caliper" you are looking at may be for a later van...
Early Vanagons use a dual-piston design, '86-onward use a single-piston
design. Check the part numbers before you buy anything!

         I found that these "anti-rattle shims" behind the pads do make a
difference for squeaky brakes. When I bought my van, it had nice, quiet
brakes... After front pad replacement (at a VW dealership, no less) I had
some squealing, and the brakes always squealed when cold (first few stops
every time I drove the van). I pulled the pads, and found the shims were
only behind "one" pad on each side. I brought it up to the full complement
of shims, and the squealing disappeared completely... same pads, same
rotors, just installed the two missing shims.

         Of course, every bus is an individual, so YMMV. :-)

Good luck,

Tim




At 09:20 PM 10/12/2004 -0700, Craig Oda wrote:
>In an effort to trace this obnoxious squealing sound coming from my
>brakes when the brake pedal isn't pressed, I took my caliper off the
>rotor.  Well, it appears that I have a Teves caliper.  Good start.
>I take out the pads and can't find the noise damping plates.  The pads
>were flush up against the piston.  And, the piston has these funky
>recessed area in it for the missing damping plates which must have
>been causing the pads to hit the rotor a bit off.   At some point in
>the long, sordid history of my van, the previous owner's mechanic must
>have dumped the noise damping backing plates.  I guess this is a
>problem, right?  Everyone is using the caliper with the noise damping
>plates, right?
>
>So, can I just buy the damping plates?
>
>Also, has anyone bought ATE calipers from BusDepot?  The price is
>good, but the picture looks like it has only half of the caliper,
>without the caliper housing??
>
>I'm not sure if I'm using the terminology correctly, but there appears
>to be two pistons on each caliper, one on the piece that bolts onto
>the wheel and the other that bolts onto that piece.
>
>Looking forward to hearing some opinions about these noise damping
>plates and experiences buying calipers (versus buying the seals and
>the backing plates in my case).
>
>-- Craig