I did grab the hand brake, and all that happened was a tremendous howling
noise that woke up the entire family and startled a family of horses that
were sleeping in the bar I almost ran into!  No braking action at all.
   This is why I will never again refer to it as an "emergency brake" but
rather as a "parking brake."  (I like your version - "hand brake" even
better)

BTW, the brake fluid was BRAND NEW!

Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA

----- Original Message -----
From: Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, April 17, 2000 12:39 AM
Subject: Re: Aaaaargh! Brake failure (long)

> Brent Christensen wrote:
>
> > I was pushing the brake so *#&* hard that I
> > thought I was going to either pull the steering wheel off or put my foot
> > through the floor.  Scary with your wife, three year old daughter, and 2
> > month old son all on board.
>
> Brent,
>
> The next time this happens (hopefully never) lower your rigth arm and YANK
the
> handbrake as hard as you can, just until you are about to rip off the
calbes!
> The handbrake is working, I hope? The reason you didnt have any brakes is
that
> when the rotors were glowing red, the brake fluid is boiling, and when it
boils,
> oxygen is formed in the lines. When you press the pedal, you compress the
air
> bubbles, instead of transmitting the pressure to the calipers. So you
should
> definitely replace the fluid now. This happens often when European campers
come
> to Norway in the summer to explore the great mountains, and the often old
fluid
> in the lines start to boil, and lead to brake failure at the bottom of the
> hills. Veerrry scaarrry to meet a big camper out of control, BTDT.
>
> Glad to hear you are all ok!
>
> PerL
> 87 Syncro 112i