All vanagons have anti-lock brakes.

>From: Zoltan <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
>Reply-To: Zoltan <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Some brake tech/ideas (long)
>Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 18:16:07 -0700
>
>If we install ABS, could we keep the same setup as is?
>And what would it take to install ABS system?  I often see ABS blocks in a
>wrecking yard and its cheap.  Would anyone know this?  Or is it subject
>that
>has been beaten to death already?
>Zoltan
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Monday, July 16, 2007 5:19 PM
>Subject: Some brake tech/ideas (long)
>
>
>>  Brakes are fairly straight forward..no pun intended.
>>
>>  The brakes on my 84 are in perfect shape, and they aren't very good
>>brakes.  I know good brakes from my Porsche racing days.
>>
>>  I've had just one close call in my Van because of inadequate brakes, but
>>I
>>live in a rural area and drive "pretty far up the road" from my own
>>vehicle,
>>so I don't encounter many situations where inadequate brakes are going to
>>kill me...but I will soon be changing to some better front ones, at least.
>>
>>  Here's the deal..Your brakes should be capable of locking up the wheels
>>under hard braking.  Mine do not do that.  You can test your own brakes by
>>finding a large deserted paved area and applying them hard, while going
>>straight, to see if you can lock your front wheels..It should not hurt
>>anything, but make sure your interior is free of loose objects..
>>  .If you have ABS (dunno if Vans came so equipped) you should feel a
>>buzzy,
>>pulsey vibrating, telling you that your wheels are starting to slide...and
>>the ABS IS working.
>>   Over 80% of your braking force is supplied by the front brakes.  So if
>>and when you find that yours are not capable of locking the front wheels
>>at
>>full application, that's where you should make changes.  Once your brakes
>>are capable of making your wheels lock up, then you look towards your
>>tires
>>for better braking..
>>   I have not yet looked to see which brakes might bolt right over to a
>>vanagon, but in order to diminish the stopping distance for any vehicle, a
>>few principles apply.  The first is traction.  If the traction you have
>>can
>>overcome the amount of braking force your brakes apply  (as is the case in
>>my 84 van) you need to get more braking force.  That's done by increasing
>>the friction on the brake rotor or increasing the rotor's diameter or a
>>combo of both.
>>  If you increase the friction on the rotor, you will create more
>>heat..That
>>will become a concern if you use max braking for a long period of time,
>>but
>>not so much if you just are forced to panic stop.  I would think there
>>should be a better caliper for the front of the Vanagon, one capable of
>>squeezing harder..that is one place to look.  Increasing the diameter of
>>the
>>brake rotors also should be do-able.  Or both.  Those little front brakes
>>look more appropriate for something like a Rabbit than a heavy van..
>>  Has anyone ever locked the front wheels of their van during an emergency
>>stop in their van?  On dry pavement, of course..
>>  Don Hanson
>>
>>
>>--
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>>
>>

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