Date:         Thu, 3 Mar 2016 20:08:36 +0000
Reply-To:     Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Shuddering Brakes--RESOLVED
In-Reply-To:  <CANEuo0gXnhmCj3uOj7KP4gc8hnMY38AyQjmnzjCh2_3e2++aHw@mail.gmail.com>
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The mechanic removed left front wheel, removed caliper and disc.  Inspected; nothing looked out of sorts.  Re-assembled.  Drove again.  Problem with shuddering now gone.
He suspects that "something" wasn't properly seated even though all fasteners were tight; maybe a piece of grit or something caused that.  Makes sense....since problem only was apparent during light braking not hard braking, so just slightly off.
I picked up car, drove it, and confirmed all was back to normal.
Thanks guys, for the input on this problem.

Rich
San Diego

      From: kenneth wilford (Van-Again) <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
 To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM 
 Sent: Thursday, March 3, 2016 8:31 AM
 Subject: Re: Shuddering Brakes
   
Richard, since it wasn't there before he did the bearing work then I would
suspect something he did.  It could be as simple as something that he
thought was tight that isn't.  Jack up the front of the van and check the
wheels for play.  If you grab them and rock side to side that is checking
the tie rod end.  If there is no play there then try up and down that is
for wheel bearings and or ball joints.  Also be sure the lug bolts are
tight.  If all of these things are fine, remove the wheel and check to see
if the two bolts holding the brake caliper in place are tight all the way.
The 85 and earlier had two different caliper bolts, one that is threaded
all the way and the other that has about and inch of no threads.  I believe
the lower one is fully threaded and the upper one has the space with no
threads.  Maybe he put it back together wrong or the calipers bolts are
just loose.

Let us know you what you find.  Ken

On Thu, Mar 3, 2016 at 10:52 AM, Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:

> I took my 85 Vanagon with 220,000 miles in to have Front Wheel Bearings
> repacked, Rear Wheel Bearings repacked (inspection revealed all bearings in
> good shape, no replacement), brake fluid flushed.  Mechanic did those; he
> also noticed about 1/8" play on the left Tie Rod bushing, the right side
> had no play, so got the left Tie Rod bushing replaced.
> As I drove off, I sensed a slight "shudder" when lightly applying brakes
> at low speed, maybe 20 MPH.  The sensation was like driving over washboard
> road surface, in fact that's what I thought it was.  But as I drove further
> and started testing different brake pressure at different speeds, the
> shudder was reproducible.  Again...always with a light touch on the brakes
> and at low speed like coming to stop.
> Took it back to mechanic.  He thought at first warped rotors.  But the
> problem wasn't there before the bearing re-packing.  He drove it....and was
> dumbfounded.....said he'd never seen anything like this before.  And the
> shuddering appears to be getting worse.
>
> We are stumped.  Any ideas?
>
> RichSan Diego
>



--
Thanks,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com