Re: Brakes pedal feel, 87 5K vs 89 100

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Conner <conner@grinten.cfm.ohio-state.edu>
To: quattro@coimbra.ans.net <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
Date: Wednesday, December 17, 1997 1:23 PM
Subject: Brakes pedal feel, 87 5K vs 89 100


>In the "For What It's Worth Department"...
>
>RE: Brake pedal feel, 87 5KS vs 89 100.
>
>The brake pedal feel on these two cars is very different, by design
>according to my local Audi specialist.
>I had expected them to be the same and was concerned that no matter how
>carefully I bled them, the brakes on the 89 100 always felt soft/spongy
>compared to the rock hard feel of the 87 5KS.  Both cars are auto trans,
>and the 89 100 has a new bomb, BTW.
>
>While the car was in the shop I had the brakes looked at, they bled them
>and there was no change in the feel.  They tell me that's how they are
>supposed to feel, I had bled them properly, and there was nothing wrong
>with them.
>
>Seems odd to me since I like the pedal feel of the 87 5K much better.
>Don't know why Audi would deliberately make this change.  I'd be interested
>to hear other's thoughts on this.
>bye,
>Dave C.
>David Conner  Columbus, OH
>'87 5KS, and '89 100E,  both w/ Boge TG
>'86 4KCSQ w/Koni Sport adj. & LOUD exhaust
>
Dave:

    I noticed the same thing when I replaced my dearly departed 86 5kcstq
with a 91 200tq. The 86 had a nice firm brake pedal but the 91 has a softer
feel. I also noticed a difference in the steering effort. The 86 had a
"harder" wheel than the 91 and seemed to give better feedback .
    I suspect Audi may have "Americanized" the cars when they re-engineered
them in 1989 to improve their acceptance on this side of the pond. I know
the few (very few) people I let drive my 86 didn't like the steering; they
thought it was too stiff.
    I have long since gotten used to the 91's brakes and steering, but I
still remember the nice reassuring feel of the 86's brakes when you had to
put your foot into it!


Fred Munro