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Re: [Fwd: Stopping Power]

To: "steve sage" <rootes@ix.netcom.com>, <tigers@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Re: [Fwd: Stopping Power]
From: "Rich Atherton" <gumby@connectexpress.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 1998 10:47:10 -0700
     I have read all of these posts about the brake problems, but they just
seem strange to me.  I have always felt that My Alpine (65 Series IV) had
Excellent brakes.  Very firm feel, great feed back, and the only down point
was the rapid wear of the REPCO Shoes I used in the rear.  I was always able
to lock the brakes.  In hard braking the rears would lock just before the
fronts would (with a bit of added pressure).  It was an excellent balance.
I never experienced any real fade and I drove the car hard.  with maybe 40
hp, I managed to use up an entire set of BF Goodrich BR60x13 radial T/A's in
about 8,000 miles.  Hard Turns, Hard braking, and lackluster acceleration
(2 out of 3 aint bad !).  I did use the REPCO semi metallic pads and shoes,
and these were among the very best available at the time.  The ONLY thing I
would have changed was the placement of the parking break handle.  Can't
recall how many ASS bruises I got from that dam thing.  Because the rears
wore at a fast rate, I used to Parking brake handle to keep the brakes right
where I wanted them.  I'd roll the car back and forth and adjust the handle
until the rears dragged.  hit the brakes a couple of times, and roll it some
more.  Eventually getting the bake handle a click or two below the point
where the rears would drag.  Brakes were right at the top of the pedal, very
little travel required for anything....It would last about a month before I
had to underneath the car and adjust the brakes there with the handle all
the way down again...

    So the problems you Tiger owners talk about, I never experienced.
Granted the Alpine was lighter, and may have had better brake cooling (more
cool air around them), but I don't think the difference would be enough to
make the brakes bad...

    Maybe someone should see if there are any NOS REPCO pads still kicking
around.. We used them in my Brothers Fiat 1200 convertible, and my dads Jag,
It still has them!

    Has anyone checked to see if there are any other front hubs/disks that
would work on the Alpine?  Didn't Volvo use the same front calipers?
Perhaps their hub, and disk assembly would fit on the Tiger/Alpine
spindles....

Rich




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