re Brad's Brakes
--------
>From: w.lightfoot@worldnet.att.net
>To: BradFarr@aol.com
>Subject: RE: A brake story
>Date: November 26, 1999
>
>Brad,
>Based on my SCCA and ,later, vintage, racing experiance, I would say that
>there are at least
>two other problems assosiated with over heating your brakes like that.
>First,you invariably
>boil the brake fluid in the calipers.Therefore, you may want go out and and
>bleed your brakes
>so they'll be there when you need them. Also, such extreme heat will cook the
>rubber bellows
>on the caliper pistons and you'll have brake fluid running all over the place
>before you know it.
>- Although you are right, it is less fun, I would recommend that you spring
>for some new pads.
> Incidently, you may want to check the little rubber bladder on the grease
>fitting on the steering
> arm( left front, one inch or so from the rotor).Sometimes that blows out and
>grease gets on the left front
> rotor.
>Regards
>Bill Lightfoot
>
>-------
>>From: BradFarr@aol.com
>>To: w.lightfoot@worldnet.att.net
>>Subject: RE: A brake story
>>Date: November 26, 1999
>>
>>Last year, one set of pads became fouled with oil from the front suspension,
>>so I replaced the pads.
>>
>>A few weeks ago, the car ('95 Plus 8) began to pull to one side, and so I
>>took a quick look from the outside, and cleaned away any excess oil/grease
>>from the suspension. I wanted to see how badly they pulled to one side, so I
>>did several hard stops on a deserted road. The pulling seemed to decrease
>>after several hard stops, so I tried an experiment. I drove to the local ski
>>resort (still closed, road deserted), and on the way down I made repeated
>>hard stops -- 60mph to ~5mph -- all the way down. The brakes began to smell,
>>then fade, till I got to the bottom, by which time the brakes were smoking,
>>the discs were dull red, and braking ability substantially reduced.
>>A drove a few miles to let the brakes cool, and tested them. The result:
>>normal braking ability, no pulling to one side.
>>
>>So, my questions to this knowledgeable group:
>>Does this make any sense as a way to rid brake pads of oil?
>>Is it likely to cause (or have caused) any damage? (warped rotors, melted
>>lines, glazed pads?)
>>Apart from the questionable practice of driving a car to the point of brake
>>failure on a public road, it was easier and more fun than changing the pads.
>>I already give my Alfa an occasional "Italian tune up," is this the
>>equivalent "English brake job?"
>>Thanks,
>>Brad
>
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