Re: The VW Jetta GLX Mailing List Digest V5 #140

["Nathan" <etherwolf@sopris.net>]

Run awaaaayyyeee! :-)

There's a spec on how thin your rotors can be somewhere, but what you're most concerned with is the
lip that's formed around the rim, not necessarily grooves in the rotor itself. There are plenty of
places that have all sorts of rotors for your machine for not much buck. I run slotted Eurosport
rotors that I'm quite happy with, and I hear ATE Powerdiscs are really nice too.

I think you'd probably know if your strut was blown, and my rears at least lasted until 90K without
having any problems... definitely needed replacement by then but no problems. :-) If you are keen on
replacing the struts, it's about a 3-4 hour job all the way 'round, or about 1.5-2 hours up front
only. You'll need an impact wrench and a spring compressor. I did mine a month or two ago so if you
have any questions lemme know.

The front rotor replacement is fairly easy; the hardest part is the damned screw that holds the
rotor on to the hub, which is usually rusted in there. I've heard of many techniques to get around
this, and I'm sure the list can comment on what they've done, but I didn't have the proper tools to
get it off (without destroying something) and had to take it to my mechanic. He had a hell of a time
too: The magnesium chloride they use in Colorado in the winter SUCKS ASS and will instantly rust
anything it touches practically.

Good luck Paul!

# Nathan
1996 GLX

By the by, I tried the www.venommotorsports.com seat bolster bending trick this weekend, and I am
very pleased with the results. Check out his library section of how-to's if you're interested; you
get much better side support.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul" <harpua.iv@home.com>
To: <jettaglx@igtc.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 07, 2001 2:48 PM
Subject: Re: The VW Jetta GLX Mailing List Digest V5 #140


i dunno, i think i am getting the shaft.  this guy at the shop i took my car
to, says i need new rotors.  he says they are 1/10 of an inch too thin to be
resurfaced, i think it is a bunch of crap since there aren't even grooves in
my rotors.  my brakes never made a squeak either, but i had them checked
because it has been about 60,000 miles.  they also said that my wheel
cylinders are leaking in the rear and that i have blown a front strut.  i
think for sure the strut thing is shit too, because my car sits even and i
never experience any problems with that side bottoming out or dropping down
as is common with blown struts.  basically what it comes down to is i was
told it would cost me over 600 bucks to fix the brakes.  i told them not to
touch them i would have them done elsewhere.  to top it off the guy told me
when i picked up my car that i could probably get by by just padding the
front brakes.  that just made me feel all the more weirded out by this shop
and the shady cats they have working there.  i am going for a second opinion
on monday.  if need be how difficult is it to change the front rotors and
pads.  it seems it must be pretty straight forward, right?