Date: 16 Jul 1997 14:31:15 -0600
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Carl Hansen" <Carl_Hansen@ATK.COM>
Subject: Re: Syncro- Brake pads, whe
SyncroBeast re> Syncro: Brake pads, wheelbearings etc
In Answere to your Questions:
>From: Mark McCulley <raven@halcyon.com>
To: vanagon@lenti
Subject: syncro: brake pads, wheel bearings, CVs, etc.
>>>1. Should the rotors be turned each time the front pads are replaced? When
I bought the van, the mechanic that did the buyer's check told me that the
rotors were too thin to be machined again and that I would have to replace
them. Is it OK to just put on the new pads without turning the rotors (and
then replace the rotors on the next pad change)? The brakes work fine now, no
pulsing on hard stops or anything.
o I can't remember the first or last time that I actually replaced the
rotors, or even had them turned. If they are fairly smooth, and $$ are short
I'd be tempted to run with em. Actually, I did replace the rotors on my '78
Scirocco a couple of times, but I was AutoCrossing the car, and got a lot of
wear with the semi-metallic pads I ran. Stopped real good though.
NOW THE OTHER SIDE. I am in the middle of doing the front of my '89 Syncro
Beast myself. My rotors were about 5/16 inch thick, or approx. 1/2 normal. I
would have left them, but I did have one area not being used, and since I had
to take them off to get at the worn out wheel bearings, I figured I'd at least
turn them. Well, the web connecting the disk with the wheel pattern was so
rotton, and rusted that it was no thicker than 1/16 inch in places, and the
rotors (web) shattered, both sides. Went looking for new ones. Bus Depot
610-754-8989 can get them at the best price. ($40 to $50) I also found them
at a placce in town, Metric Auto, for $67, but was not in a hurry. Both
places were ATE brand, made in W. Germany.
MORAL, check how rusted the web is on the rotor. That's the part that
connects the rotor to the hub center. If it's real thin, and the rotors
themself are 1/2 normal, buy new ones. I'm not sure what would have happened
to the front if the web had shattered while driving, but I'm sure it would not
have been cheep.
>>>2. What about front wheel bearings? It's common to repack these when doing
brake work on 2WD vehicles but the syncro is a different design. Looking at
the Bentley, it seems like an awful lot of work to mess with the bearings.
o Unless you are replacing the front wheel bearings, don't mess with them.
They are permanently sealed, and not repackable. Different design altogether.
Getting them out destroys them.
ON THE OTHER HAND. Spin your tire fast while the front is up. Listen for
bearing running ruff noise. If it sounds bad, replace before you end up
replacing lots more because the bearings went belly up. I got seals for $3
from Metric Auto here in Mpls, and Bearings for a real good price from Bus
Boys in CA. Dealer charged me $60 to press old out and new in. (take upright
off yourself, and bring in loose) I would have done myself, but was disgusted
at CHISELING off 4 bolts on the throttle valve of SO's '86 Scirocco the night
before, and figured the money was well spent. You do need a press, a good
press, to do this, and either an assortment of sockets for pressing on or the
right tools.
>>>>3. At what point (mileage) should the front CVs be inspected and repacked?
o Sorry, no opinion, except I do it when they make noise when turning. After
many busses, and watercooled VW's no pattern seems to have emerged. Syncro
Beast has 150 k on her, and I repacked and swapped left for right in 1995.
>>>>4. Is there any other maintainence I should do when replacing the pads?
o ????Maybe blead brakes, or if fluid never replaced before, purge system and
put in new brake fluid.
>>>>I'm inclined to just replace the pads now and do a full teardown at 120K
or
130K, doing the CVs, bearings and all.
o It's a plan.
Ch
'89 Syncro Beast
'87 GTI 16V
'86 Scirocco (SO's)
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