RE: playing in the snow

["Binns, Dick" <dick.binns@intel.com>]

Replace the bomb now.  I bought a car with a weak bomb and waited to replace

it; when the steering pump started leaking Pentosin like the Titanic I had
no 
choice and did both.  

Now I wish I'd done the bomb when I bought the car.   I didn't realize how
much 
the new bomb would improve braking/handling/overall driving pleasure.  If
you 
ever get into trouble (usually happens VERY quickly) the brake pedal is very

hard to depress with no bomb and no Pentosin.

FWIW

Dick Binns 

______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
Subject: playing in the snow
Author:  "Henry Harper" [SMTP:hah@srv.net] at MSXGATE
Date:    12/7/98 2:18 PM


Winter is finally upon me here in Idaho as of this past Friday. Cleverly I
took 
the time Thursday evening to install the winter wheels on both cars as the 
first flakes were drifting down. Nice fat pads on the UFOs and rears, except

for one front piston-side that looked a bit skinnier than all the others.
Gunge 
on the guide pins! And the piston boot on the other side was reluctant to 
remain seated in the caliper body, thus presumably not doing its intended 
sealing action. A small problem to be dealt with at leisure, I think (as in 
several months from now when it's warmer).
          
The more immediate issue, I had thought, was an elderly bomb. Three quick 
stomps while driving gave rise to the BRAKE light, approximately that number

after engine shutdown, can't really tell a difference in feel. Normal
driving 
for me in this car is easy on the brakes, as much because I dislike cleaning

dust off the intricate wheels as I want the UFOs to last as long as
possible. 
So, equipped with Hakkas (on easy-clean steel wheels) and nice slippery
roads, 
I endeavoured to test the seat-browning factor of ABS and bad bomb. But
despite 
repeated full-ABS stops from as much as 40mph, no BRAKE light did appear,
and 
stopping effectiveness was just dandy. I was for some reason reluctant to
try 
higher speeds while still on [deserted] standard two-lane roads, haven't
taken 
the time to play in a large-enough parking lot as yet. Just a few donuts in
the 
mall lot :)
          
What gives? Can I put off the bomb replacement a bit more as well? Just
"avoid 
emergencies"? Or is more testing required, at higher speeds I would expect. 
Awaiting the incoming wisdom.
          
TIA,
Henry Harper
http://www.srv.net/~hah
1991 200 quattro, 98k, 20k in one year, waiting for the defroster switch
light 
to die and then I can fix them all at once
1988 GTI 16v, 186k, good thing I had a backup car since this one was down
for a 
total of three months out of the 12
          
PS The twelfth monthly car payment goes out today, only 24 more. Purchase
was 
October '97, but I've been late with my anniversary message. Apart from 
upgrades (snows, lights, stereo, Bilsteins) my "required maintenance" 
expenditures have been a) afterrun thermoswitch, $25 and b) battery, $65. 
Having this much fun should be illegal - oh wait, there was that one little 
piece of paper to that effect. Anyway, it's been a great deal so far, but I 
have been driving around with a cracked windshield for six months so I
should 
count that as well.
          
=> Thanks, q-list! <=
          
Let's go skiing! Jackson Hole is 90 miles from my house, who wants to come 
visit?