Get more brakes...

[MARIO URREA DTN 226-2742 @ LJ01-1/H4 <urrea@akocoa.enet.dec.com>]

>In message <9501202105.AA04867@us4rmc.pko.dec.com>  writes:

>  Get brakes

Got 'em.  Wouldn't leave home without 'em.  Thanks all the same. <HPG*>

*Heap Big Grin

	I like it!. I sent the message.  Sorry if it was kinda weird.  I'm new 
to the net and I have a problem with my '89 200T's brakes, and rather than 
posting the entire text explaining the problem, I thougt I'd look around in 
previous discussions to see if the answer as there.  The note I got back from 
Majordomo when I subscribed said you can use the "get" command from E-Mail to 
retrieve files, so I got the index first, and there is a category named 
brakes, so I sent the one-liner above... which didn't work.  In any case, 
here's the story:

	Four months ago, the wear indicator light came on.  The pads were 
changed and the rotors resurfaced.  2 months later they started to squeak and 
the steering wheel to vibrate when I stepped on the brakes.  When the mechanic 
disassembled the brakes again, we noticed one of the pads had cracked along 
the entire base, right at the metal backing plate, and so the whole pad was 
loose.  A new set was put on (no extra charge) and things were back to normal..
except for the vibration on the wheel, that even though very slight, was still 
there.  

	Back to the mechanic, who resurfaced the rotors one more time.  That 
cured the vibration for about a month, but returned about a week ago.  Back to 
the mechanic.  "One of the calipers is hanging up, he said".  Looking at the 
wheels (for any clues) I noticed there is more brake dust on the right front 
than the left.  Not much more, but definitely the covering is a shade darker 
than on the left, so I bet on that one.  I took the wheels off last week, and 
noticed they had been overtightened to the point of needing a breaker bar to 
loosen up the bolts (oh, oh!).  We dismounted the right caliper and 
"exercised" it.  

	They are Girling calipers.  Both pistons are sliding normally and the 
rotors are clean and smooth, with no marks that you can see or feel if you 
slide your finger lightly over them, trying to feel any ondulations or 
warpage.  The left side looked in perfect shape also, so we didn't dismount 
it.  We put the wheels back on (with the standard air wrench) and while the 
car was up on the lift, we started it, and while in gear, I pressed the brake 
a couple times.  The wheels stopped and rotated in mid air normally, so I 
don't know about a caliper hanging up anymore...  Going home in frustration, I 
noticed the vibration is a lot less now; but still there.  

	I'm sure the overtightening of the wheels had something to do with it, 
but what else can it be?  Can the right caliper (the one producing more brake 
dust) be not opening all the way, and as a result overheating -and warping- 
the rotor ever so slightly that you can't see or feel it as you inspect it?   

	My mechanic told me one day, in another conversation, that he had 
installed some special springs in some guys' car (not an Audi), that the guy 
had gotten from a performance magazine to keep the pads away from the rotor.  
At the time, I thought it'd be a good idea, to reduce friction and make the 
pads last longer... and better fuel economy also.   Would this help?  Does 
anybody know about such springs?

	Mario Urrea