Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2011 01:02:15 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Brake Fade
In-Reply-To: <4e656264.4760340a.5590.ffff94a5@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
So what brand and model brake pads did you get? Many brands offer more than
one choice. Did you even bother to ask or check the friction rating? The
Vanagon needs good pads and as important good shoes in the rear.
Unfortunately VW no longer sells the metallic rear shoes so most recent
brake jobs are compromised. Also, you want to check the rears to make sure
the shoes are making full contact with the drums. The archives should have
some posts on how to shim out the lower shoe rests to compensate for the
replacement shoes not having a thick enough lining to match the drum
diameter.
As for driving methods a rule of thumb is you should use the same gear going
down a hill as was needed to go up.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Edward Maglott
Sent: Monday, September 05, 2011 8:00 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Brake Fade
Had a scary brake fade scenario on this Labor Day weekend trip. I've been
doing a lot of work on my front end lately, and that included new wheel
bearings, rotors and pads. I got pads from the FLAPS and Brembo rotors from
a list vendor. Carefully cleaned the rotors before I put the pads on and
have been going easy on the brakes since all that new stuff was installed.
It's probably been about 300-400 miles since they were replaced and I did
progress to harder brake testing with no problems.
As rainman would say, I'm a very good driver. I know how to use the brakes
and not overheat them. I've driven "stock" cars on road courses and long
demanding autocrosses and never experienced brake fade. (oh, and my 2002
Golf TDI has 165k miles and all original
brakes.) I've used my Van's brakes a lot harder than this in the past with
no fade. So we're driving along on Rt 58 in Virginia near Whitetop.
Typical winding 2 lane "major" mtn road. I noticed I was getting less
braking vs pedal effort and this effect was rapidly getting worse. I was
already going slow and pulled into a driveway with the e-brake assisting to
stop. Smoke immediately drifted in through the passenger window. I got out
and the front wheels were a little hot, but not unusual. Back wheels also
warm. (I thought maybe I'm operating on only front brakes?) No signs of
leaking fluid or grease at either front wheel, and fluid reservoir is fine.
I think, maybe the new pads have just never been really hot and they are
doing some kind of initial outgassing? Maybe they are just plain inferior
cheap FLAPS pads? After 10 minutes or so, they have cooled down and I
cautiously proceed, using "2" on my AT to ease our descent, which I rarely
do and never would have in this situation because there was plenty of
"cooling" time between brake applications. We do another up and down
heading to Taylor's Valley for the Virginia Creeper trail, and again have
some fade. It's a much steeper, tighter road and I used 2 and 1 on the AT
to keep things slow. Later, when we get back to our campsite at Grayson
Highlands State Park... There's a pretty good descent on the way to the CG.
I got out and checked the wheels and they seemed hotter than when I checked
them after the fade incident but I had no problems. Oh, and today on the
same road, in the rain I had some squeaking under moderate braking. Long
loud squeak. No fading, but I was nervous and put the AT in 2 on the
descents and went slowly.
So now I'm not too confident about these brakes. Any thoughts on this? And
how should I test them? I suppose I could drive in a safe flat area with my
left foot on the brakes for a while to heat them up?
Edward
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