Wrong Rotors?!?

[focusedcycling]

So I have spent all day TRYING to change the front rotors on my 87 2wd Westy Camper Vanagon.

A little background, I replaced pads recently and my local vw guy did the front wheels bearings as I was getting some real crunchy noise in the front that seemed to increase with braking. Also had him do the drums in the rear as I have never done this nor did I have the time to fiddle. Thought for sure the front wheel bearings needed to be replaced, although when he did them he said the old ones weren't that bad... Still have the crunchy grinding noise.... Also noticed some pulsating in the brakes as I applied the brakes so I know I need new rotors. In most newer cars I have always gotten away with just replacing pads but this is no newer car

Want to state this is my first time doing this. Done brakes on many a new car but never rotors on the Vanagon.

I purchased the rotors from my local vw guru/mechanic. I sure do like to support the local guys but man oh man his or his vendor's mistake has cost me some serious time and frustration.

I installed the driver side and the rotor had "some" play after fully reassembling. I called the local shop, about an hour away over the bay bridge, and he stated there may be a "little" play and that it should tighten up after bolting the wheel down. He said as long as the grease bolt was snug and the dust washer behind did not have play I should be ok. I am not blaming any of the following on him as I know he was not with me to see what I was describing, nor did he or I know at the time that I was dealing with the wrong part.

I went on with the passenger side. Installed and also a little play. Drove around the block, definitely not right...

Took them off fiddled and messed with them more, still no resolve. Called the shop back and he thought maybe I hadn't seated the inside wheel bearing enough. Ok, off the phone trying again, still no luck.

After pulling the drivers side back off and pulling the inside bearings, found some metal shavings... ohh no. I thought, great I have ruined the race in a brand new rotor and an essentially new inside wheel bearing.

After a long time of wanting to shoot someone or myself, tried popping the inside bearing back into the inside of the old rotor. As I was doing this I noticed the old rotor had a distinct lip about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch in that the bearing sat in and stopped against. The new rotors did not have this but flared in about an inch and a half deeper, giving the inside bearing nothing to seat against.

I then took the old rotor reassembled and put it back on the drivers side. Fits like a glove and there is no play.

I am a quite frustrated as I just checked van-cafe and they have rotors that are about $25 cheaper a piece.

The rotors I was sold were Zimmermann's, part number 251 407 617 n/m/k

So now the van is up on jack stands, front rotors and wheel bearings apart and I won't be finishing this today...

Bummer!

So I my reason for posting is to ask the question, anyone else have problems with these?

The part number seems to match the Brembo's being sold by Van-Cafe, how do I know I won't run into this again with the next set my local mechanic gets me?

[crazyvwvanman]

That piece inside the old rotors is PART OF THE BEARING!

Both inner and outer bearing have a separate race that has to be installed into the rotor before the rotor can be used. You should now buy all new bearings for the front and install the races first as you must.

You could have removed the old races from the old rotors and put them with their matching bearings in the new rotors but it is too late for that.

The race should stay with its original bearing. The race must be pressed in or tapped in forcefully with the proper pounding tools. Removal of an old race can be difficult and the bearings are cheap enough that with new rotors I would generally install new bearings too, along with seals. You don't have to use new bearings if the old ones are in good shape.

Mark

[focusedcycling]

Son of a biatch!

That makes perfect sense. I will go back at this tomorrow after I get off work.

Thank you crazyvwvanman

[mtwrench540]

listen to crazy van,i know your source on the eastern shore and he is straight up ok! where was your bently??
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87 wolfsberg,74 181w/1915 and lots of patina! learned to fix vw's from hot vw mag in 1964,VWOA instructor,DSM,69 to73,service mgr at different porsche-audi dealers etc,etc,now retired!!! first vw new 64,transplanted 356 eng in 65,400characters are not enough space!!