OMG! I just read my own response, did I actually say "breaks"?! No way! I sent this from my phone, damn auto correct must have done this, I surely know the difference between "brakes" and "breaks"! Jeff Stewart ----- Original Message -----
> Do you gear down and use engine braking in addition to using your
> regular breaks? Just a thought.
> Mike Miller <mwmiller6@ATT.NET> wrote:
> >Twice I heated the brakes in my old two wheel drive westy to the
> >point of Oh Dear!
> >
> >Coming down into Shelter Cove on the Lost Coast in CA. had to
> >downshift to first to stop then pulled over and let the brakes cool
> >and went the rest of the way down in 1st.
> >
> >Coming over from Lake isabella in middle California to Highway 99.
> >Smelled the brakes and pulled over immediately and let them cool down
> >and went on much more slowly.
> >
> >Don't care what they cost [well I didn't at the time] nor how
> >infrequently I need them. Once is more than enough.
> >
> >G 60s on the front
> >Audi 5000 disks on the rear.
> >
> >and I'll still pull over and let them cool if I smell them or the
> >pedal suddenly feels funny.
> >
> >JMO
> >
> >
> >On Sep 13, 2013, at 11:18 AM, Don Hanson wrote:
> >
> >> That is a good article.
> >>
> >> I have about 20 sets of trashed Big Red brake rotors sitting around
> >> my
> >> shop from my Porsche racing days. When the holes cracked and
> >> connected in
> >> these rotors it was time to put on a new set. Breaking in new pads
> >> was
> >> important...
> >>
> >> Finding the proper brake pad compound and understanding it, that
> >> too was
> >> very important....The basics are that soft pads work better at
> >> lower temps
> >> but wear out more quickly...Harder pads work better at higher temps
> >> (bigger
> >> more consistent brake applications) but don't work very well at all
> >> when
> >> they are below their best temperature range....Street pads...they
> >> are meant
> >> to work best when dead cold...You get in the van and head
> >> out....then have
> >> a panic stop...They work....Would not happen with a racing brake
> >> pad....On
> >> the other hand, when you get your brake rotors glowing red from
> >> heat from
> >> constant max braking....street pads are not going to stop you very
> >> well at
> >> all........
> >>
> >> Our vans are really small trucks. They should probably be driven
> >> like
> >> small trucks...somewhat carefully and with the vehicle weight in
> >> mind....I
> >> bet a fully loaded Vanagon driven hard down a long grade with lots
> >> of tight
> >> corners...that is nearly 5000lbs of weight, don't forget...even the
> >> best
> >> Porsche Brembo brakes stuck on there would not be performing very
> >> well at
> >> the bottom of that run.....
> >>
> >> I just drive mine like a small truck...conservatively when it comes
> >> to
> >> brakes... One or two hard stops in traffic?...normal stock brakes
> >> will
> >> handle that...Pushing it at 90mph down Tioga Pass?.....No Vanagon
> >> Big Brake
> >> kit is going to do that very well.
> >>