Date:         Sat, 14 Jul 2007 07:47:27 -0400
Reply-To:     John Reddick <svyolo@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Reddick <svyolo@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Need for upgraded brakes for engine conversion

Sorry Andrew, I have to dissagree with you on the brake thing.
VW type 3's were built as heavy duty, 1 ton rated worked vehicles and have
brakes suitable for such use. The biggest problem is the whole brake system
is now 15-27 years old, including the lines.
   Am I slamming big brakes, no way. If you want to keep your van for a long
time, replacing the entire brakes system, including the lines, is smart
anyway.  You can do a SA brake kit cheaper than you can put on new stock
pads, rotors, calipers and wheel bearings, which is what comes with a SA
brake kit. Add some SS brake lines, and you are good to go.  If you have a
Syncro, you can put AUDI 200 brakes on as cheaply as stock brakes.
    I have driven vans with very squishy brakes and they definitely needed
work. Most vans stop just fine. My 87 Westy, when it had stock brakes, went
up and down mountains with 5 grown men and 5 hang gliders on top.  The
brakes never faded.  Not once.  I also had a Ford E250 van at the same time.
 Coming down one of the same mountains, with just me in it, I almost
completely lost the brakes by the time I got to the bottom of the mountain.
 I was barely able to stop.
    Do you need upgraded brakes. My opinion is no.  If you are going to
throw some money into your brake system, a big brake kit might end up being
cheaper in the long run.

   John