Date: Thu, 05 Dec 1996 13:51:07 -0500
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Dino Kubik <KubikD@em.agr.ca>
Subject: Brakes - Adj & 12mm Rotor
I did some brake work on the '89
Westie Syncro (cost detail follows), and
have 3 questions. Also & looking for
tips on adjusting park break & getting
air out of lines.
Any members of the list live near 700
block of Aberdino St, Fredericton, NB?
Could use a test pilot to try the brakes.
Cheers
Dino KubiK
'89 Westie Syncro
64 K Kilometres
ADJUSTING STARS...
QUESTION 1: When listening for
shoe-to- hub contact, should you rotate
the hub using the lugs or by pushing on
the top of the hub?
BACKGROUND:
I adjusted the shoes "out" (pushed
down from above?) until the noise of
the break was audible when the hub
was turned using the lug studs. Then I
re-adjusted the shoes "in" until the
noise disappeared when turning the
hub with the lug studs. However; when
I rotated the left hub by pushing on the
top of the hub I could hear a scrap!! I
re-re-adjusted the shoes "in" some more
until no scrape sound was audible
when rotating the hub with a push
from the top. Did I do the right thing??
editorial comment "God bless John
Muir! I would never have figured the
stars out using the Bentley."
FRONT ROTORS
QUESTION 2:
Should I worry about rust collecting on
a spare pair of 12mm rotors that I want
to store? If yes, how do you prevent the
rust?
QUESTION 3:
The Bentley says that 13mm is a
minimum - any one got experience
using rotors measuring 12mm.
BACKGROUND:
The original front rotors were turned &
when I got them back I misread the
calipers & mistakenly concluded they
were 9mm thick. When you use the
caliper correctly they measure out at 11
or 12 mm. I put them on until the new
pair could be ordered, and drove
gingerly for about 500 km. There was a
squeak that got progressively worse.
The new rotors arrived and installation
went well - no squeak. I am hoping to
store the old rotors as spares. (editorial
note - since this was my first break job
the squeak could have been from the
workmanship not rotor thickness)
COSTS -
AFTER MARKET
Front Semi-metallic Pads
C$58, plus tax for a total of C$68
Front Rotors (Brembo from Italy)
C$97 each, C$194 for 2, plus tax for a
total of C$228.
VW DEALER
Front Pads
C$111, plus tax for a total of C$131.
Rotors
C$82 each, C$164 for 2, plus tax for a
total of $C194.
NOTE:
Discovered my "after - market - parts -
mechanic" bought the Brembos through
the VW dealer at $82 each & sold to
me at $97 each (humm... 18% mark-up
on cost) . Dealer claims these were the
last pair in Canada so now only VW
originals available at:
C$215 each, C$430 for 2, plus tax for a
total of $507. (I'll be keeping those
11-12 mm rotors).
