Date:         Thu, 9 Apr 2009 10:32:06 -0400
Reply-To:     greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Subject:      Re: Disc Brake Setup Photos
Comments: To: Doug Alcock <doug.alcock@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <1ed6d210904090710v5ea736a6ne79aa00cdf1664c9@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; DelSp="Yes"; format="flowed"

Hi Doug,

I don't think that rear disks are the best place to invest when trying  
to add stopping power.

Basic physics will tell you that the weight transfers to the front of  
the van when stopping. The rear brakes will do less than 30% of the  
stopping; and that gets progressively less with your need to stop  
quicker.

Better tires (stickier rubber), better wheels (wider, for a better  
contact patch, lighter for less rotating mass) and suspension upgrades  
(stiffer to lessen weight transfer and improve handling) need to be  
implemented before the improved performance of rear disks will be  
noticeable.

Rear disks as an upgrade on an otherwise stock vanagon would be a  
waste of $$$ in my opinion; though they would certainly be worth  
looking at if all the above upgrades have left you with a below-par  
vanagon experience.

Greg

Quoting Doug Alcock <doug.alcock@GMAIL.COM>:

> I'd sure like some more stopping power..............
>
> Doug
>
> On Wed, Apr 8, 2009 at 6:54 PM, Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@gmail.com
>> wrote:
>
>> Do we need these? Are my brakes about to fail and send me plunging me into
>> a ravine to a screaming death in twisted steel and fire?
>>
>> <frets>
>>
>> --
>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
>> Bend, OR
>> KG6RCR
>>
>>
>>
>> On 4/6/2009 12:56 PM Raimund Feussner wrote:
>>
>>  Hi listmembers,
>>>
>>> as some of you know, I developed a 4-disc brake setup for our Vanagons.
>>> Since spring is on its way and the next Syncro-Meetings and other big
>>> Vanagon meetings in Germany are about to start, I built a custom set of
>>> my brakes just for display purposes.
>>>
>>> All black parts are freshly powder coated and also, total genuine
>>> VW/Audi parts!
>>>
>>> I havn´t shipped one of these sets to the US, but if anyone is
>>> interested, we will find a way...
>>>
>>> Here are the photos:
>>> First: 2WD front
>>> Second: 4WD front (caliper gets mounted tomorrow)
>>> Third: 2WD/4WD rear
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.v6bus.de/2WD.jpg
>>> http://www.v6bus.de/4WD.jpg
>>> http://www.v6bus.de/HA.jpg
>>>
>>> Regards
>>> Raimund
>>>
>>>
>
>
> --
> http://www.dougalcock.com
>