You have about 70% of brake power on the front wheels, with ABS it�s almost
80 %
If you live somewhere with rain, snow and maybe salt on the road, take a
walk and look on the brake discs on parked cars, most of the cars with rear
discs will have rust on them if the owner is no streetracer !
You�ll also have to fiddle around with the parkingbrake system....
I�d say the most value for the money is to just get the existing parts as
good as possible, new parts all around along with the brake fluid and then a
setup of new shocks if they�re not changed for some years - maybe even new
stiffer coils  if you want to go racing :) -and it�ll be another vehicle !

Calle

----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Grebneff" <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2004 9:45 AM
Subject: Re: vanagon brake upgrades

> >bigger motor = more speed -> need more stopping power
> >
> >Share your brake upgrades.
> >
> >Wondering what others are running?  front disk upgrades?  rear: drum
> >to disk?  where can you get parts?  or is there an donor car that
> >can give up their brakes with limited modifications?
> >
> >I want my want to stop faster than it accelerates!
>
> Stopping IS acceleration!
>
> The South African ventilated disc setup, from what I've heard on the
> list, is probably not measurably better than the solid German brakes;
> where it will be better will be on long steep downgrades or in
> repeated hard stops, as on a racetrack.
>
> Various folk are trying various rear-disc setups.
>
> German listee Raimund Feussner has developed a kit using Audi bits.
> The BenT one is doing something similar... don't know how far along
> this is.
>
> Rear discs probably do not work any better than decent drums, BUT
> they are a LOT easier to work on! And there is no comparison in
> appearance if you have alloy wheels with large openings.
>
> For myself, I am having a supercharged (just located a Whipple
> screw-type charger for a big discount) Subaru Alcyone SVX engine and
> Porsche transmission fitted to my 84 Caravelle, so I decided to go
> the whole hog and REALLY upgrade my brakes. Porsche 993 discs all
> round, using Hansen Motorsport adaptors. Wheels are 18" alloys. It'll
> accelerate back down from speed far faster than it gets up to speed!
>
> Hmmm... wonder if it'll do front-wheelies under braking?
> --
> Andrew Grebneff
> Dunedin
> New Zealand
> Fossil preparator
> <andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
> Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
>