Date:         Thu, 17 Feb 2005 08:26:38 EST
Reply-To:     THX0001@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         George Goff <THX0001@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: where is the best buy for drums and rotors?
Comments: To: Dieselslave@wmconnect.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 2/16/05 3:56:19 PM, Dieselslave@WMCONNECT.COM writes:

<<  I am also thinking about just replacing shoes and pads and letting the
rotors and drums slide till next time---any and all comments appreciated. >>

G.,

If the rotors and drums are not too chewed up, just replace the pads and
shoes for now.  Then start saving for genuine VW replacements.  As I have written
before, I have years of experience in driving cars with 4-wheel discs and I
have never found run-of-the-mill aftermarket pads and rotors to come close to
the factory parts.

I'm not sure what the Vanagon Bentley says about the matter, but the Volvo
factory manual says to simply replace the pads unless the disc has grooves
deeper than 0.015" (I think) or is thinner than the minimum limit.  Should those
specs be exceeded, the rotor is to be replaced, not resurfaced.  A similar
procedure has been described by Doktor Tim, a List notable of sorts, at:

http://vw.upnorth.net/Deutche-Methode---Brakes75.htm

Read it, it might help you decide what to do.

If you are looking for the "best buy", you have to first define the term.  It
seems to me that the "best buy" should be the best value which seldom is the
best price.  I have used Brembo rotors on two different cars and as
beautifully finished as they were, they were also utter disappointments.  On a Syncro of
mine, they rusted so severely that they had to be changed with the pads and
also the exfoliated rust wedged them SOLIDLY to the hub.  No small
complication, that.  On another car, the Brembo rotors were the source of squealing (and
overheating) which was only cured by replacing them with factory items.

While I do have a pair of German-made rotors branded Zimmermann in my parts
horde, I have not tried them yet and until I do, my advice is to look to
factory parts and to cultivate a friendly relationship with a dealer parts guy.

George