Re: internal-caliper front b

["Peter Fraser" <Peter_Fraser@macmail.lbl.gov>]

        Reply to:   RE>internal-caliper front brake rotors
Brace yourself;  you're in for a wild time.  The internal-caliper front brakes
were exclusive to v8's and 200tq's (in '91 at least) and many many owners have
experienced warping of the rotors.  apparently the design doesn't cool
adequately for american (stop-and-go) traffic conditions.  when the problem was
first discovered, audi instituted a policy of replacing front suspensions on
complainents cars with the 100-style components, under warranty.  importantly,
audi would only offer this fix after repeated complaints from each customer. 
this fix was no longer offered by late 1993.  instead, audi has now developed a
replacement rotor made of different materials and supposedly more resistant to
warping.  these babies are expensive ($400+ each) but at least allow you to
retain the superior braking capacity of the larger-than-100 system.

we've been running them since early this year, with no problems.  i kicked and
screamed to get them to do it, and i was still within warranty.  yours may have
expired, so it'll be a tougher fight.  however, armed with the knowledge of the
initial design flaw, you may be able to badger them into it, especially if you
were the original owner and start talking wistfully  along the lines of "i hope
to continue buying audis over the years..."  If the dealer won't do it
immediately, call in the district service manager.  if he won't either, get
ready to write detroit - and cc Ferdie Piech.  Believe it or not, he reads his
mail - and acts upon it.  Just depends on how hard you want to work to save
$1000-1500!

Also, i've heard that, especially for the big-ticket models, your warranty
doesn't really expire as definitively as the calendar inidcates - that is,
they'll give you freebies after expiration if you play your cards right.

good luck!

-- Peter of Lawrence Berkeley
peter_fraser@macmail.lbl.gov

p.s.  Eliot Lim, also of this list, has also gone thru the brake problem - but
earlier (he got the front end replacement surgery on his v8).
--------------------------------------
Date: 9/27/94 6:01 AM
To: Peter Fraser
From: quattro@swiss.ans.net
I'm getting a little shimmy during braking on my `91 V8.  I feel it through
the steering wheel so it's most likely the front rotors.  The problem is that
the early V8's used VERY unconventional front rotors. If you were to cut one
in half along its axis of rotation and look at the cross-section, it is a 
C-shape.  I've never been able to come up with a reason for this design;
however, that's not the point.  Has anybody had any luck with machining
these rotors to get them to run "true" again?  I've heard horror stories about 
the cost of a new set, so I don't mind investing in a some machine shop time.
Also, does anyone know the cost of the engineering "upgrade" to put more
conventional brakes on the front?

Dick Meyer
ARL Penn State
State College, PA
rsm@arlvax.psu.edu