Re: Caliper question

[Thomas Tornblom <Thomas.Tornblom@nexus.comm.se>]

> Date: Thu, 05 Jan 1995 10:04:06 -0500
> From: Gary Webster <GARY@synaxis.com>
> Reply-To: quattro@swiss.ans.net
> 
> I have been informed by my repair guy that my 89 200Q needs a rear
> brake caliper.  (The symptoms that I have are that the parking brake
> sticks.)  He has tried to fix this before to no avail.  He says that these
> should be replaced in pairs and that the options are as follows:
> 1. new calipers from Audi -  $400/ea
> 2. aftermarket parts from ??? - $200/ea
> 3. have mine rebuilt - $166/ea
> 
> Is this reasonable advice?  Is there anything else that I can do??
> 
> Thanks...
> 
> 

Check out the parking brake cables first.

I have had to replace the cables on both of the quattros I have
had. The symptom was that the parking brake sticks.

The problem is that the outer sleeve splits from corrosion. The sleeve
(at least on my '90 100tq) has a thin rubber cover that wears out when
passing through a rubber bushing, allowing water to get in. The cable
is clearly of bad design, it has a plastic hose that covers the rubber
cover in both ends, but not at this weak point.

The cables on the '85 200tq I had had the same problem and the new
cables I installed was of the same type, making me believe that they
are unaware of the problem.

When I replaced the cables just a month ago I took the old cables back
to the dealer and complained about this. They took the cables and said
that they would forward my complaints back to germany.

Thomas