Type 44 bomb replacement & results

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

Finally got around to changing the bomb on my 86 5KS - chased everyone
away, took the phone off the hook, decent weather (no rain on Saturday for
a change  - turns out it DOES rain more on Saturday than any other day - it
HAS NOT been my imagination all these years!)

Phil was right - *BIG* difference!

Procedure - jack up car, WAY up, remove LF wheel.

Using tubing wrench (7/16"), loosen brake line on inboard side of bomb.
Access is kind of tight (what else is new?) so use a regular open end 11 mm
wrench to undo the fitting - 1/6 turn at a time.

Using 17 mm wrench, loosen and remove banjo fitting on bottom of bomb.
Recover two crush washers - you won't use them again, but you don't want to
leave any old ones in place accidentally.

Loosen hose clamp at rear of bomb, pull hose off spigot, and drain precious
pentosin into a waiting container. I used a 2 liter Diet Coke plastic
bottle - maybe two cups of Pentosin is all that comes out, but the height
of the bottle let me place it under the still-dripping hose and kept the
driveway from becoming a mess.

You will be AMAZED at the black glop and garbage that comes out of this
hose!!!!! Rubber bits, dead bugs, god knows what else.

Using 10 mm socket, remove nut at front of bomb, and two nuts securing top
of front bomb mount.

Withdraw bomb to front of car. Wash hands, wash face, clean glasses, get
back under.

Insert new bomb most of the way - leave yourself a little room to get at
the hoses. Start 11 mm brake line connection, run it down but not tight,
since the bomb isn't supported by anything yet and you have nothing to
tighten against.

Attach banjo fitting, using two new copper or aluminum crush rings which
you bought in advance - they are cheap, and any type 44 Audi owner should
have a dozen or so in assorted sizes right at the top of their parts stash.

Connect hose from Pentosin reservoir (the one the glop came out of) and
tighten the clamp.

Assemble front mount, tighten the 6 mm nuts. Tighten brake line (11 mm),
banjo fitting (17 mm), crawl out, clean up.

Remove jack stands, put LF wheel back on, lug nuts to 80 ft lbs. Car on
ground.

Open hood, refill Pentosin reservoir (use about 80% of what you drained out
- leave the remaining 20% with the bits of black glop in the bottle -
discard), top off. Reconnect two wires to pressure switch that controls
Hal-the-onboard-computer (don't tell Phil you disconnected them - he'll
have a fit!).

Start it up, go for a ride, try brakes. WOW! The pedal effort is somewhat
less than with a dead or almost dead bomb, but what is impressive is the
RATE of deceleration - it is like you just drove into a giant pot of glue.
Step on the brakes, and forward motion CEASES - NOW!

Total time, a little over an hour, not pushing very hard. Faster next time.

If you need a bomb, I now agree totally with Phil - DO IT! - don't put it off.

Best Regards,

Mike Arman