Date:         Mon, 5 Sep 2011 19:59:30 -0400
Reply-To:     Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Brake Fade
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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