New Old Syncro

1
  Hi Guys,

After 8 years on this forum I have finally bought my very own Syncro.  It was cheap but has a very rough body and I was going to wreck it; I have been looking for a Syncro gearbox for my Bay window bus for years. 
However after driving it home 800km from Nimbin I think it is too good to wreck.  There are some problems to address and obviously I can't remember everything I have read on the posts over the years so I have a few questions that I am sure have been covered before but I am at a bit of a loss with.
A bit of background:  When I picked it up the previous owner had been having trouble getting it into gear and had broken the gearstick off.  Their "mechanic" had put in a new clutch and they were not convinced that it was right as still hard to get into gear.  The mechanic told me smugly that there was a vibration like from a uni joint but the uni joints were fine.  Also told me how he didn't like Syncros.  I dipped the oil, noted the wrong coolant, started it and headed off thinking " what have I done, how am I going to make it 800km to Sydney?"  I went straight to the servo and checked the tyre pressures, tyres looked pretty old but plenty tread.  Fuel was expensive so I just put in 20L and headed off.
The trip was uneventful until I got to Grafton and pulled in to a servo for fuel.  The drivetrain was binding up so badly I could hardly make it to the bowser.  On leaving the servo I headed straight across the road onto a grass area which freed everything up instantly. 
I decided to head on trying to avoid any sharp turns as much as possible.  When I got to Coffs Harbour I went to Super Cheap (which necessitated going around two roundabouts and turning 90 deg in their carpark) and bought some spanners and removed the tailshaft.
From here on the steering was light, the gearbox shifted silky smooth and the vibration was gone.
The rest of the trip was a breeze, the motor feeling very strong slipping up to 120km/h all the time.
I later noted that the tyres are from 3 different brands, the fronts being probably 5mm shorter than the rears. 
My question is;  Could the mismatched tyres have been causing the binding alone or does it sound like the VC is too aggressive as well.  I don't want to buy tyres until I decide what I am going to do with it.  I don't really know where to get a VC from and are decouplers still available from The Lowest Gear?  The website doesn't appear to be functioning.  Where is the next best place to get one from?
Also, I can't find the drain plugs on the heads for draining the coolant.  Could someone help me out with that, I am keen to get the right coolant into the engine.  Thanks for any help,

Neil. 
2
Hi Neil,

Well done on getting a Syncro.

I would suggest that the 5mm difference in wheels in relation to front and rear is a real clause for concern. This is most likely the source of the binding. It is known that different size tyres will deliver exactly what you describe. I rotate my tyres every 5000km to ensure even wear. 

Before I explored other possible causes of your symptoms I would change the tyres or borrow some wheels from a Sydney based member to test the theory.

cheers

Peter


3
You are on the right track but I would add that you can fit a decoulper that will give you the same result as removing the tail shaft only its on demand with the switch doing the job as required..
Good luck with your Syncro great !
cheers Peter

On Fri, Apr 1, 2016 at 8:20 AM, neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hi Guys,

After 8 years on this forum I have finally bought my very own Syncro. It was cheap but has a very rough body and I was going to wreck it; I have been looking for a Syncro gearbox for my Bay window bus for years.
However after driving it home 800km from Nimbin I think it is too good to wreck. There are some problems to address and obviously I can't remember everything I have read on the posts over the years so I have a few questions that I am sure have been covered before but I am at a bit of a loss with.
A bit of background: When I picked it up the previous owner had been having trouble getting it into gear and had broken the gearstick off. Their "mechanic" had put in a new clutch and they were not convinced that it was right as still hard to get into gear. The mechanic told me smugly that there was a vibration like from a uni joint but the uni joints were fine. Also told me how he didn't like Syncros. I dipped the oil, noted the wrong coolant, started it and headed off thinking " what have I done, how am I going to make it 800km to Sydney?" I went straight to the servo and checked the tyre pressures, tyres looked pretty old but plenty tread. Fuel was expensive so I just put in 20L and headed off.
The trip was uneventful until I got to Grafton and pulled in to a servo for fuel. The drivetrain was binding up so badly I could hardly make it to the bowser. On leaving the servo I headed straight across the road onto a grass area which freed everything up instantly.
I decided to head on trying to avoid any sharp turns as much as possible. When I got to Coffs Harbour I went to Super Cheap (which necessitated going around two roundabouts and turning 90 deg in their carpark) and bought some spanners and removed the tailshaft.
From here on the steering was light, the gearbox shifted silky smooth and the vibration was gone.
The rest of the trip was a breeze, the motor feeling very strong slipping up to 120km/h all the time.
I later noted that the tyres are from 3 different brands, the fronts being probably 5mm shorter than the rears.
My question is; Could the mismatched tyres have been causing the binding alone or does it sound like the VC is too aggressive as well. I don't want to buy tyres until I decide what I am going to do with it. I don't really know where to get a VC from and are decouplers still available from The Lowest Gear? The website doesn't appear to be functioning. Where is the next best place to get one from?
Also, I can't find the drain plugs on the heads for draining the coolant. Could someone help me out with that, I am keen to get the right coolant into the engine. Thanks for any help,

Neil.


4
The drain plug is between the push rode tubes you will need to remove the shield 
The front tyres will wear quicker then the backs so put the taller one on the front to even them up


Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

On Friday, April 1, 2016, 8:50 AM, neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

  Hi Guys,

After 8 years on this forum I have finally bought my very own Syncro.  It was cheap but has a very rough body and I was going to wreck it; I have been looking for a Syncro gearbox for my Bay window bus for years. 
However after driving it home 800km from Nimbin I think it is too good to wreck.  There are some problems to address and obviously I can't remember everything I have read on the posts over the years so I have a few questions that I am sure have been covered before but I am at a bit of a loss with.
A bit of background:  When I picked it up the previous owner had been having trouble getting it into gear and had broken the gearstick off.  Their "mechanic" had put in a new clutch and they were not convinced that it was right as still hard to get into gear.  The mechanic told me smugly that there was a vibration like from a uni joint but the uni joints were fine.  Also told me how he didn't like Syncros.  I dipped the oil, noted the wrong coolant, started it and headed off thinking " what have I done, how am I going to make it 800km to Sydney?"  I went straight to the servo and checked the tyre pressures, tyres looked pretty old but plenty tread.  Fuel was expensive so I just put in 20L and headed off.
The trip was uneventful until I got to Grafton and pulled in to a servo for fuel.  The drivetrain was binding up so badly I could hardly make it to the bowser.  On leaving the servo I headed straight across the road onto a grass area which freed everything up instantly. 
I decided to head on trying to avoid any sharp turns as much as possible.  When I got to Coffs Harbour I went to Super Cheap (which necessitated going around two roundabouts and turning 90 deg in their carpark) and bought some spanners and removed the tailshaft.
From here on the steering was light, the gearbox shifted silky smooth and the vibration was gone.
The rest of the trip was a breeze, the motor feeling very strong slipping up to 120km/h all the time.
I later noted that the tyres are from 3 different brands, the fronts being probably 5mm shorter than the rears. 
My question is;  Could the mismatched tyres have been causing the binding alone or does it sound like the VC is too aggressive as well.  I don't want to buy tyres until I decide what I am going to do with it.  I don't really know where to get a VC from and are decouplers still available from The Lowest Gear?  The website doesn't appear to be functioning.  Where is the next best place to get one from?
Also, I can't find the drain plugs on the heads for draining the coolant.  Could someone help me out with that, I am keen to get the right coolant into the engine.  Thanks for any help,

Neil. 
5
Thanks for the advice guys, I can see the push rod tubes so I don't think I have the shield.  I can also see a couple of welsh plugs but no drain plug.  I will check again tonight.  Is it a hex head plug?


From: "Aaron Lewis aaronjlewis71@yahoo.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
To: "neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, 1 April 2016, 10:57
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] New Old Syncro

 
The drain plug is between the push rode tubes you will need to remove the shield 
The front tyres will wear quicker then the backs so put the taller one on the front to even them up


Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

On Friday, April 1, 2016, 8:50 AM, neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 
  Hi Guys,

After 8 years on this forum I have finally bought my very own Syncro.  It was cheap but has a very rough body and I was going to wreck it; I have been looking for a Syncro gearbox for my Bay window bus for years. 
However after driving it home 800km from Nimbin I think it is too good to wreck.  There are some problems to address and obviously I can't remember everything I have read on the posts over the years so I have a few questions that I am sure have been covered before but I am at a bit of a loss with.
A bit of background:  When I picked it up the previous owner had been having trouble getting it into gear and had broken the gearstick off.  Their "mechanic" had put in a new clutch and they were not convinced that it was right as still hard to get into gear.  The mechanic told me smugly that there was a vibration like from a uni joint but the uni joints were fine.  Also told me how he didn't like Syncros.  I dipped the oil, noted the wrong coolant, started it and headed off thinking " what have I done, how am I going to make it 800km to Sydney?"  I went straight to the servo and checked the tyre pressures, tyres looked pretty old but plenty tread.  Fuel was expensive so I just put in 20L and headed off.
The trip was uneventful until I got to Grafton and pulled in to a servo for fuel.  The drivetrain was binding up so badly I could hardly make it to the bowser.  On leaving the servo I headed straight across the road onto a grass area which freed everything up instantly. 
I decided to head on trying to avoid any sharp turns as much as possible.  When I got to Coffs Harbour I went to Super Cheap (which necessitated going around two roundabouts and turning 90 deg in their carpark) and bought some spanners and removed the tailshaft.
From here on the steering was light, the gearbox shifted silky smooth and the vibration was gone.
The rest of the trip was a breeze, the motor feeling very strong slipping up to 120km/h all the time.
I later noted that the tyres are from 3 different brands, the fronts being probably 5mm shorter than the rears. 
My question is;  Could the mismatched tyres have been causing the binding alone or does it sound like the VC is too aggressive as well.  I don't want to buy tyres until I decide what I am going to do with it.  I don't really know where to get a VC from and are decouplers still available from The Lowest Gear?  The website doesn't appear to be functioning.  Where is the next best place to get one from?
Also, I can't find the drain plugs on the heads for draining the coolant.  Could someone help me out with that, I am keen to get the right coolant into the engine.  Thanks for any help,

Neil. 


6
Going from something like an old Air-Cooled Bus is a huge jump in VW Vans and their 'features.'

Syncro's are UNusually Demanding as VW Vehicles go.

a few notes...

1. if running it stock and All Wheel Drive ( there are aftermarket other possibilities )
All four tires MUST be Identical,
with almost no margin for size variance.
to the degree that if you have say 4 matching tires with say 30K miles on them, and you destroy one, just replacing the one tire will result in Damage to the Viscous Coupling in the front Differential .. or in some cases to the front CV joints .

Yeah...really serious Syncro People buy 6 matching brand new tires, then do a 6 tire rotation scheme. That way if they destroy one, they still have 5 identical tires , and then continue with a normal 5 tire rotation scheme. It's that critical evidently.

Heck, I have even read that slightly tired U-joints can harm the Viscous Coupling ..though that's pretty intense and not sure I quite believe that.

2. The Viscous Coupling ...magical device, no electronics as modern cars use..
principle is a silicone fluid between plates allows some slippage..as in rounding a corner, but will stiffen up and stop major variations , like if one end of the vehicle is loosing traction.

The can fail in to being 'too stiff' , or not transferring power like they should.
Google '2 X 4 test , to test how your VC is working.

< some people install a Decoupler at the front of the trans, then put in a solid shaft in place of the VC .that way it's either 2WD or 'all four drive'.
Not recommended by me, as the original setup is pretty smart ...for example....there is an anti-lock affect by having the front and rear axles connected, so you always want to be in AWD and for pavement, that means a working Viscous Coupling.

3. the Transmission.
I don't think I have ever worn out or harmed any VW Van transaxle in 40 years of owning and driving them. Generally nicely made and robust enough.

On the other hand, some Syncro owners have had to rebuild their Syncro Gear Boxes every 80,000 miles or even more often than that.
Even gentle driving won't make it last 'forever'. In my opinion by it's very nature, there is stress on a Syncro gearbox ...
for example....a tight u-turn on pavement with things well warmed up ..often you'll feel things fighting each other a little .
One guy I follow online has like 260,000 miles on his untouched ( heads not even off ) waterboxer engine, but he's on his 3rd or 4th Gearbox rebuild. The 'like' transaxle rebuilds.

on shifting ..if it ain't linkage ( which it can be for sure as they seldom get proper regular care and lubrication ) ..it's the Transaxle. There is a notorious situation called '3rd/4th gear slider' ...a hub that cracks. Google it.

4. Oh right ! ..Vibration ..how could I forget that !
Syncro's have Issues With Vibration, commonly.
It's not that the u-joints just wear, they do some of course, but that's not it.
btw...they are not 'normal replaceable' u-joints, tho you can't get a driveline shop to modify it for normal replaceable chevy u-joints.

< they'll drive just fine with the drive shaft removed btw >

This vibration thing has been tackled all kinds of ways. One method is to have a slip-yoke installed on one end of the driveshaft, which I recommend.
I did this for a guy, seeking solution to his Syncro vibrations problems. Freshly made slip-yoke driveshaft, balanced by the shop that built it etc.

I installed it carefully ...slight vibration at 3,100 in each gear. Not bad. He drives it for a few weeks.
Of course..the drive shaft will bolt in either way front-to-back, plus 4 places rotationlly,
which is a lot of nut-and-bolt work to try trial and error.
I swapped it end for end, loosened his front Diff Mounting Bolts and drove around for a couple of miles ( read about this trick at Van Cafe ) ...
then tightened the bolts back down.
That did the trick.

I have even read about Syncro owners that own more than one drive shaft, all to find the right combo that won't vibrate.
fwiw, I happen to have a stock Syncro Drive shaft with about 100,000 miles on it, in good condition, in Oregon, USA that I'll be offering for sale on TheSamba.

But Start Studying ..there is a LOT to learn about Syncro VW Vans .
Quite demanding vehicles,
and at first, quite hard to work on too.
And never inexpensive to own long-term unless you do everything yourself on it.

lol...one guy said online he wanted to 'replace everything' ( like hoses, coolant pipes etc. ) so the whole vehicle was 'all new' and he wouldn't have to worry about anything for a number of years.
That is not really possible on a synco VW Van ..there are just so many parts everywhere and rather packed together.
< I challenge anyone to give an accurate number of the cooling system hose clamps, in total. ..or even just every large and small coolant hose. >

oh..I should mention the gas tank.
A rear bear to get out, and the straps that hold the tank in love to rust.
The aftermarket stainless steel straps I've seen don't really fit.
The straps are installed ( 4 total, two top and bottom on each side ) so you can get two of them out without removing the fuel tank, but not the other ones . to deal with that, it's engine out, then tank out, and they tanks are just jammed in there. A very Unfun job.

but congratulations on your Fine New Machine !

Scott

On 3/31/2016 1:57 PM, Aaron Lewis aaronjlewis71@yahoo.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia] wrote:

The drain plug is between the push rode tubes you will need to remove the shield

The front tyres will wear quicker then the backs so put the taller one on the front to even them up


Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

On Friday, April 1, 2016, 8:50 AM, neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hi Guys,

After 8 years on this forum I have finally bought my very own Syncro. It was cheap but has a very rough body and I was going to wreck it; I have been looking for a Syncro gearbox for my Bay window bus for years.
However after driving it home 800km from Nimbin I think it is too good to wreck. There are some problems to address and obviously I can't remember everything I have read on the posts over the years so I have a few questions that I am sure have been covered before but I am at a bit of a loss with.
A bit of background: When I picked it up the previous owner had been having trouble getting it into gear and had broken the gearstick off. Their "mechanic" had put in a new clutch and they were not convinced that it was right as still hard to get into gear. The mechanic told me smugly that there was a vibration like from a uni joint but the uni joints were fine. Also told me how he didn't like Syncros. I dipped the oil, noted the wrong coolant, started it and headed off thinking " what have I done, how am I going to make it 800km to Sydney?" I went straight to the servo and checked the tyre pressures, tyres looked pretty old but plenty tread. Fuel was expensive so I just put in 20L and headed off.
The trip was uneventful until I got to Grafton and pulled in to a servo for fuel. The drivetrain was binding up so badly I could hardly make it to the bowser. On leaving the servo I headed straight across the road onto a grass area which freed everything up instantly.
I decided to head on trying to avoid any sharp turns as much as possible. When I got to Coffs Harbour I went to Super Cheap (which necessitated going around two roundabouts and turning 90 deg in their carpark) and bought some spanners and removed the tailshaft.
From here on the steering was light, the gearbox shifted silky smooth and the vibration was gone.
The rest of the trip was a breeze, the motor feeling very strong slipping up to 120km/h all the time.
I later noted that the tyres are from 3 different brands, the fronts being probably 5mm shorter than the rears.
My question is; Could the mismatched tyres have been causing the binding alone or does it sound like the VC is too aggressive as well. I don't want to buy tyres until I decide what I am going to do with it. I don't really know where to get a VC from and are decouplers still available from The Lowest Gear? The website doesn't appear to be functioning. Where is the next best place to get one from?
Also, I can't find the drain plugs on the heads for draining the coolant. Could someone help me out with that, I am keen to get the right coolant into the engine. Thanks for any help,

Neil.

7
Hi Neil,

Congratulations on the purchase - now you will be even more broke than us.

With the VC - aggressive is good for off-roading I believe as long as you have a de-coupler.

I got my de-coupler recently from AA Transaxle in the USA - same design as the Lowest Gear one but at least you can contract AA Transaxle - I gave up on contacting Florian after finding he had moved and there was no action on his website.

Best of luck.

Cheers,

Skot



On 1/04/2016 9:20 AM, neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia] wrote:
Hi Guys,

After 8 years on this forum I have finally bought my very own Syncro. It was cheap but has a very rough body and I was going to wreck it; I have been looking for a Syncro gearbox for my Bay window bus for years.
However after driving it home 800km from Nimbin I think it is too good to wreck. There are some problems to address and obviously I can't remember everything I have read on the posts over the years so I have a few questions that I am sure have been covered before but I am at a bit of a loss with.
A bit of background: When I picked it up the previous owner had been having trouble getting it into gear and had broken the gearstick off. Their "mechanic" had put in a new clutch and they were not convinced that it was right as still hard to get into gear. The mechanic told me smugly that there was a vibration like from a uni joint but the uni joints were fine. Also told me how he didn't like Syncros. I dipped the oil, noted the wrong coolant, started it and headed off thinking " what have I done, how am I going to make it 800km to Sydney?" I went straight to the servo and checked the tyre pressures, tyres looked pretty old but plenty tread. Fuel was expensive so I just put in 20L and headed off.
The trip was uneventful until I got to Grafton and pulled in to a servo for fuel. The drivetrain was binding up so badly I could hardly make it to the bowser. On leaving the servo I headed straight across the road onto a grass area which freed everything up instantly.
I decided to head on trying to avoid any sharp turns as much as possible. When I got to Coffs Harbour I went to Super Cheap (which necessitated going around two roundabouts and turning 90 deg in their carpark) and bought some spanners and removed the tailshaft.
From here on the steering was light, the gearbox shifted silky smooth and the vibration was gone.
The rest of the trip was a breeze, the motor feeling very strong slipping up to 120km/h all the time.
I later noted that the tyres are from 3 different brands, the fronts being probably 5mm shorter than the rears.
My question is; Could the mismatched tyres have been causing the binding alone or does it sound like the VC is too aggressive as well. I don't want to buy tyres until I decide what I am going to do with it. I don't really know where to get a VC from and are decouplers still available from The Lowest Gear? The website doesn't appear to be functioning. Where is the next best place to get one from?
Also, I can't find the drain plugs on the heads for draining the coolant. Could someone help me out with that, I am keen to get the right coolant into the engine. Thanks for any help,

Neil.

8
Thanks for the assistance everyone,

Neil.


From: "Scott Pitcher spbconsulting@bigpond.com [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, 1 April 2016, 14:30
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] New Old Syncro

 
Hi Neil,

Congratulations on the purchase - now you will be even more broke than us.

With the VC - aggressive is good for off-roading I believe as long as you have a de-coupler.

I got my de-coupler recently from AA Transaxle in the USA - same design as the Lowest Gear one but at least you can contract AA Transaxle - I gave up on contacting Florian after finding he had moved and there was no action on his website.

Best of luck.

Cheers,

Skot



On 1/04/2016 9:20 AM, neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia] wrote:
 
  Hi Guys,

After 8 years on this forum I have finally bought my very own Syncro.  It was cheap but has a very rough body and I was going to wreck it; I have been looking for a Syncro gearbox for my Bay window bus for years. 
However after driving it home 800km from Nimbin I think it is too good to wreck.  There are some problems to address and obviously I can't remember everything I have read on the posts over the years so I have a few questions that I am sure have been covered before but I am at a bit of a loss with.
A bit of background:  When I picked it up the previous owner had been having trouble getting it into gear and had broken the gearstick off.  Their "mechanic" had put in a new clutch and they were not convinced that it was right as still hard to get into gear.  The mechanic told me smugly that there was a vibration like from a uni joint but the uni joints were fine.  Also told me how he didn't like Syncros.  I dipped the oil, noted the wrong coolant, started it and headed off thinking " what have I done, how am I going to make it 800km to Sydney?"  I went straight to the servo and checked the tyre pressures, tyres looked pretty old but plenty tread.  Fuel was expensive so I just put in 20L and headed off.
The trip was uneventful until I got to Grafton and pulled in to a servo for fuel.  The drivetrain was binding up so badly I could hardly make it to the bowser.  On leaving the servo I headed straight across the road onto a grass area which freed everything up instantly. 
I decided to head on trying to avoid any sharp turns as much as possible.  When I got to Coffs Harbour I went to Super Cheap (which necessitated going around two roundabouts and turning 90 deg in their carpark) and bought some spanners and removed the tailshaft.
From here on the steering was light, the gearbox shifted silky smooth and the vibration was gone.
The rest of the trip was a breeze, the motor feeling very strong slipping up to 120km/h all the time.
I later noted that the tyres are from 3 different brands, the fronts being probably 5mm shorter than the rears. 
My question is;  Could the mismatched tyres have been causing the binding alone or does it sound like the VC is too aggressive as well.  I don't want to buy tyres until I decide what I am going to do with it.  I don't really know where to get a VC from and are decouplers still available from The Lowest Gear?  The website doesn't appear to be functioning.  Where is the next best place to get one from?
Also, I can't find the drain plugs on the heads for draining the coolant.  Could someone help me out with that, I am keen to get the right coolant into the engine.  Thanks for any help,

Neil. 



9

Just saw a promo photo for the new movie Eddie the Eagle with Eddie on top of a van. Looked like Hugh Jackman was driving a T3.

Peter from Port

10
Yep,
Eddie was at the Olympics in '88, so it would have had to have been a pre '88 model.
Did the movie producers get the model used in the film right ?



On Sun, 24 Apr 2016 21:24:22 +1000, 'Peter Coe' peter@coeconsult.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia] wrote:

>Eddie the Eagle

11
I Just saw the movie it was very inspiring and well worth seeing.  I was surprised to see a T3 in the promo poster because they used a Bedford camper in the movie and there wasn't a T3 to be seen.  Greg N 
12
Hello fellow Syncro enthusiasts

I have been told that I need to replace my front disc brakes because they are under the specified thickness size.
Where could I source new good quality replacement disc brakes and calipers?
Are they the same as 2 WD?
Part Numbers?
Should I replace the wheel bearings?
Any assistance greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Regards
Peter Leolkes
'89 Syncro
Adelaide

13
Are they the same as 2wd - No, the Syncro uses a hat style disc opposed to a disc with a built in hub.

Replace the calipers only if they are shot, they are easy to rebuild(same seal kit as 2wd). Guide pin bushes are harder to source but I have come across them on eBay.

Wheel bearings are a big job and requires a press etc. Bearings are common with a lot of BMW rear wheel bearings also some Porsche. The proper seals are special but available. If they have play then take the opportunity to do them.

Justkampers have bearings but the price is about 6 times what they are worth and only have one of the two required seals.

Van Cafe have bearings and seals but Brickwerks have the v-rings.
14
Hi Peter,

Haven't tried these yet but the price is good;


Neil.
From: "Peter Leolkes pleolkes@bigbutton.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, 27 April 2016, 12:28
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Front Disc Brakes questions

 
Hello fellow Syncro enthusiasts

I have been told that I need to replace my front disc brakes because they are under the specified thickness size.
Where could I source new good quality replacement disc brakes and calipers?
Are they the same as 2 WD?
Part Numbers?
Should I replace the wheel bearings?
Any assistance greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Regards
Peter Leolkes
'89 Syncro
Adelaide



15
Sorry, my previous link was actually for the wrong rotors, check these out including pads;

From: "neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
To: "Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 27 April 2016, 13:53
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Front Disc Brakes questions

 
Hi Peter,

Haven't tried these yet but the price is good;


Neil.
From: "Peter Leolkes pleolkes@bigbutton.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, 27 April 2016, 12:28
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Front Disc Brakes questions

 
Hello fellow Syncro enthusiasts

I have been told that I need to replace my front disc brakes because they are under the specified thickness size.
Where could I source new good quality replacement disc brakes and calipers?
Are they the same as 2 WD?
Part Numbers?
Should I replace the wheel bearings?
Any assistance greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Regards
Peter Leolkes
'89 Syncro
Adelaide





16
Thanks for that Neil.

I contacted them and they have the disc rotors with pads in stock for $209. Which sounds good.

However they are made in China now. The advice from my mechanic is not to buy them if they are made in China although RDA is considered to be a good brand.

What to do?
Any advice?

Regards
Peter Leolkes
'89 Syncro 
Adelaide

On 27/04/2016, at 2:27 PM, neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia] wrote:

 

Sorry, my previous link was actually for the wrong rotors, check these out including pads;

From: "neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
To: "Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 27 April 2016, 13:53
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Front Disc Brakes questions

 
Hi Peter,

Haven't tried these yet but the price is good;


Neil.
From: "Peter Leolkes pleolkes@bigbutton.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, 27 April 2016, 12:28
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Front Disc Brakes questions

 
Hello fellow Syncro enthusiasts

I have been told that I need to replace my front disc brakes because they are under the specified thickness size.
Where could I source new good quality replacement disc brakes and calipers?
Are they the same as 2 WD?
Part Numbers?
Should I replace the wheel bearings?
Any assistance greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Regards
Peter Leolkes
'89 Syncro
Adelaide







17
I bought a set of RDA front rotors with pads from these guys 6 months ago for my wife's car and some rear pads a couple of years ago and haven't noticed any issue this far but wasn't  a Syncro.

Neil.


From: "Peter Leolkes pleolkes@bigbutton.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, 28 April 2016, 10:45
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Front Disc Brakes questions

 
Thanks for that Neil.

I contacted them and they have the disc rotors with pads in stock for $209. Which sounds good.

However they are made in China now. The advice from my mechanic is not to buy them if they are made in China although RDA is considered to be a good brand.

What to do?
Any advice?

Regards
Peter Leolkes
'89 Syncro 
Adelaide

On 27/04/2016, at 2:27 PM, neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia] wrote:

 

Sorry, my previous link was actually for the wrong rotors, check these out including pads;

From: "neil smith jackthebearau@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
To: "Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 27 April 2016, 13:53
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Front Disc Brakes questions

 
Hi Peter,

Haven't tried these yet but the price is good;


Neil.
From: "Peter Leolkes pleolkes@bigbutton.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, 27 April 2016, 12:28
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Front Disc Brakes questions

 
Hello fellow Syncro enthusiasts

I have been told that I need to replace my front disc brakes because they are under the specified thickness size.
Where could I source new good quality replacement disc brakes and calipers?
Are they the same as 2 WD?
Part Numbers?
Should I replace the wheel bearings?
Any assistance greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Regards
Peter Leolkes
'89 Syncro
Adelaide