Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2006 16:29:25 -0600
Reply-To: Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Overland Big Brakes-Syncro
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Please pardon the cross posting. I felt that this might be of interest to
these three groups.
This is in fact a direct bolt on, no monkey motion. Took John Carpenter
(thank you, oh great Krishna-Swami) and I a total of 5 hours today, and now
would take maybe 2 to 2 1/2 to do after this experience. It is a direct bolt
on. No machining anything; no reuse of any of the taken-off stock parts,
EXCEPT the bolts holding the carriers onto the hub. I "added" two (2)
washers as spacers of about 3mm, between the carrier and caliper, which
center the rotor in the caliper. Two washers on each bolt (2), on each wheel
(2); total of 8 16mm (center dia.) washers. Overland has apparently machined
the inside of these rotors to fit over the Syncro hub. Nice touch for ease
of installation. The 2WD kit includes/requires the purchase of hubs and
bearings to match the Syncro set up and so is more expensive.
The wire/spring-steel pad retainers do not seem to have a way of being used
with these Audi "large" pads. The difference in size of pad compared to the
stock Syncro is very close to 2 times larger. That, added to the larger
diameter rotor and bigger single-piston caliper and the stopping is
significantly improved. It's a good investment and well worth the time to do
it. There is no telling what the fade protection value is with the vented
rotors, but that has proven to be significant in all applications, whether
racing or just heavy trucks going downhill.
Interesting note: the rubber brake line provided is only about 1" longer
than the stainless one's I had on, and both ends of it are "male". Both ends
of the SS line are "female". I took the "stock" hardware off the
application, and used only the supplied rubber line at both the steel line
leading to the master cylinder (upper end near the top of the shock tower),
and the caliper. Works beautifully. The small "S" curved stock steel line
can be removed and not used, which makes this even less complicated and
fewer parts in the system. Nice feature. Another note of interest: once
these brakes were driven a little, there was no pad-jiggle that might be
expected considering there are no pad retainers on the outside pads.
Well-bled floating calipers may just do this on their own?!
On initial driving there was a rubbing noise coming from the right wheel, as
might happen with a warped rotor. It disappeared after a few minutes
driving. I took that wheel off to inspect things and found no signs of any
problems. After putting that wheel back on and leaving John's to come home,
it occurred again and by the time I got home it cleared itself up again.
Something rubs just after that wheel is installed for a short time, then
disappears. I'm going to keep an eye and ear on it. This may just be the
pads and floating calipers settling in on that side. No noise from the left
side at all.
As I posted earlier, the stock brakes I took off are 4 years old. All OEM
brakes were put on this van when the engine conversion was done 4 years ago.
These are for sale along with the SS lines. The lines have been spoken for
if someone doesn't express interest in having the entire set up.
This kit included:
one pair SA Vented Disc Rotors
one pair of brake hoses
one set of Audi Brake pads (from US spec Audi)
one pair of Audi brake calipers (from US spec Audi)
one pair of brake pad retainers (not used on my application, wouldn't fit,
not needed!)
one pair Overland caliper carriers
I bought this kit from BenT; he "advertised" them here, asking if anyone had
seen this kit before, as they have some differences from the SA Big Brake
Kit.
Bob Stevens
'87 Westy Syncro
"Passion Fruit"
........Thanks again John C...... you're the best, brother!!!
