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Date:         Tue, 17 Jul 2007 01:30:15 +0000
Reply-To:     Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Some brake tech/ideas (long)
In-Reply-To:  <012a01c7c810$0e436c00$2f01a8c0@FirstLaptop>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

All vanagons have anti-lock brakes.

>From: Zoltan <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET> >Reply-To: Zoltan <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >Subject: Re: Some brake tech/ideas (long) >Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 18:16:07 -0700 > >If we install ABS, could we keep the same setup as is? >And what would it take to install ABS system? I often see ABS blocks in a >wrecking yard and its cheap. Would anyone know this? Or is it subject >that >has been beaten to death already? >Zoltan >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson@GORGE.NET> >To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> >Sent: Monday, July 16, 2007 5:19 PM >Subject: Some brake tech/ideas (long) > > >> Brakes are fairly straight forward..no pun intended. >> >> The brakes on my 84 are in perfect shape, and they aren't very good >>brakes. I know good brakes from my Porsche racing days. >> >> I've had just one close call in my Van because of inadequate brakes, but >>I >>live in a rural area and drive "pretty far up the road" from my own >>vehicle, >>so I don't encounter many situations where inadequate brakes are going to >>kill me...but I will soon be changing to some better front ones, at least. >> >> Here's the deal..Your brakes should be capable of locking up the wheels >>under hard braking. Mine do not do that. You can test your own brakes by >>finding a large deserted paved area and applying them hard, while going >>straight, to see if you can lock your front wheels..It should not hurt >>anything, but make sure your interior is free of loose objects.. >> .If you have ABS (dunno if Vans came so equipped) you should feel a >>buzzy, >>pulsey vibrating, telling you that your wheels are starting to slide...and >>the ABS IS working. >> Over 80% of your braking force is supplied by the front brakes. So if >>and when you find that yours are not capable of locking the front wheels >>at >>full application, that's where you should make changes. Once your brakes >>are capable of making your wheels lock up, then you look towards your >>tires >>for better braking.. >> I have not yet looked to see which brakes might bolt right over to a >>vanagon, but in order to diminish the stopping distance for any vehicle, a >>few principles apply. The first is traction. If the traction you have >>can >>overcome the amount of braking force your brakes apply (as is the case in >>my 84 van) you need to get more braking force. That's done by increasing >>the friction on the brake rotor or increasing the rotor's diameter or a >>combo of both. >> If you increase the friction on the rotor, you will create more >>heat..That >>will become a concern if you use max braking for a long period of time, >>but >>not so much if you just are forced to panic stop. I would think there >>should be a better caliper for the front of the Vanagon, one capable of >>squeezing harder..that is one place to look. Increasing the diameter of >>the >>brake rotors also should be do-able. Or both. Those little front brakes >>look more appropriate for something like a Rabbit than a heavy van.. >> Has anyone ever locked the front wheels of their van during an emergency >>stop in their van? On dry pavement, of course.. >> Don Hanson >> >> >>-- >>No virus found in this incoming message. >>Checked by AVG Free Edition. >>Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.6/902 - Release Date: 7/15/2007 >>2:21 PM >> >>

_________________________________________________________________ http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=hmtextlinkjuly07


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