Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2012 21:38:20 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: front brakes
In-Reply-To: <4FCD5BB6.9080400@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Re :
> but after hearing so much about how wimpy the stock '84
> brakes are, how swell the Big Brakes are, &c., &c., a fellow starts to
> wonder if this isn't something he should look into before he plunges off
> the road to certain death and becomes a headline.
>
> So my question is: will DOT4 brake fluid and attentive use of engine
> drag via downshifting pretty much make bigger brakes a non-issue?
It all depends on how you drive.
I will agree that towing a medium heavy trailer can be rough on brakes,
I have glazed my front pads towing a lot that way ..
otherwise ..
for descents and when strong braking is needed -
an 84 Westy with auto trans should hold back pretty well in 2nd,
and if it's a really steep long descent, say like the east side of
McKenzie Pass west of you ..
then I'd use 1st for a decent.
Like 25 mph in 1st, use the brakes some, let 'em cool, use 'em again a
little, repeat.
I hesitate to even say anything as there are so many opinions and
beliefs and sometimes things sure could be more fun n' friendly here. ..
and......................, I run semi-metallic brake pads usually. And
they do slow down a significantly harder.
They DO NOT wear out my rotors faster. ( please, save the comments )
But then, my brakes do not seem to wear much at all, ever, on any of my
cars.
One thing I do recommend ......use the brakes medium hard now and then.
Like say 60 % of ability - now and then.
Nothing extreme or harsh, just 'exercise' them a little.
Avoid excessive very light braking, as that contributes to brake squeal IMO.
And don't drive the snot out of them either.
Just use 'em 'medium' ....with an intentional harder-than-usual
application now and then.
one reason my brakes may not wear much is I don't drive anywhere near
any cars or trucks or vehicles ever.
I've seen people drive so aggressively ..
not kidding either ...that they have to use their brakes going Uphill at
70 plus mph because they are gaining so hard on the car/s in front of them.
Totally wasteful and unnecessary of course.
Check out the brake pad dust on the front wheels of any car or van ..
if there's a lot of brake dust there..
that means ..they usually use their brakes hard and a lot, they don't
clean their wheels, and they don't rotate tires front to back.
You can spot on unserviced car in a second that way.
last line ...it's not just 'pushing down on the brake pedal'..
( I don't expect people to believe this much ) ..it's 'how' you apply
the brakes...
just like how you 'feel' a gearshift in nicely .......like with finesse
- same thing applies to braking.
I'm not so sure many people are that deeply tuned in though , but there
is braking intelligently where it is not just pushing down on the pedal
and watching the picture out the windshield change.
Stop by, I'll demonstrate.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
