Re: Mysterious Brake Problem ('86 5KS)

[Don Hoefer <hoefer@eng.pko.dec.com>]

Joe Garibaldi wrote:
> 
> Greeting to the Audi Internet Community,
> 

** Stuff deleted

> Let me be a bit more specific.  The brakes that are dragging
> in my case are the front two.  Until I realized what was going
> on, I thought the car just needed a tuneup or something due to
> its apparent lack of power.  Upon starting out, the car moves
> along OK without unwanted braking.  However, after only a few
> applications of the brake, the drag starts to become noticeable.
> I can temporarily affect the undesired application of the front
> brakes by sort of "popping" the brake pedal but, as you can well
> imagine, this is a PITA, not to mention that it's not too safe
> either.
> 

** Blaa blaa ...

When this happened to me I found that the piston in the brake
caliper cylinder was rusting.  I polished it with fine emory cloth,
lubricated it with white lithium grease (brake grease would be
better), and reassembled it with new seals. It has been fine for
over a year now.  If your are not that ambitious, or the rust is
really bad (ie. pitted, most of the plating peeling off) get new
calipers. 

Don Hoefer
'82 Coupe