So I know #### (dammit, forgot you can't say #### on the #### board ) well that I have a mostly frozen piston in my Driver's side caliper on my Type-3, thought I'd ride it out just a few more months till I had the extra money for a new set.   Well, that few months flew by WAY too quickly, and the mostly frozen caliper is starting to cause more problems.  Add to this that both of my rotors are probably a wee bit (read: I don't want to talk about it) thinner than they are supposed to be allowed to get, well it's time to practice what I preach to many and make my car stop like she's supposed to again.

I just so happened to get a brand new (maybe NOS, they were german?!) set of rotors with the car a year ago, so those get slapped on.  Then I won a set of ATE brand new calipers on e-vil-bay last week (what makes this part a very sweet deal is that ATE is the OE manufacturer for my T-3's calipers and these are brand new, not rebuilt)  I didn't pay any more for them than I would have for a set of rebuilt, god-knows-what's from either my VW-FLAPS or my normal FLAPS, & I get to keep my old calipers in hopes that one day I'll get a rebuild kit and rebuild them so I have a spare set.

Well since Nelly is my only car and I couldn't very well have her sit for about 2 weeks until my new hardware comes in I put her back together w/ the new rotors and a spare set of pads I had.  Well, between the meaty pads and the added girth of the new rotors, both my aging calipers appeared to be a little out of spec, not wanting to let go after they bind down.  Drove like this for a couple of days hoping it would work itself out, NOPE.  So I had my front brakes binding, what do you do till all new equipment arrives to make everything perfect again?

I got out there this morning, saying I'm gonna help you old girl, and it's not going to hurt a bit.  I sanded those pads down about half way and voila, no more binding   .  I figure I reduced their life to about 6-8 months, but considering they only have to live till next weekend or so, who cares.  At least now stopping isn't a drama, and the wheel isn't smoking after a 15 min. drive.

I think I've been attending the "Zen's school of Make it work, no matter what"  :cool: .  There isn't really a moral to this story if you were looking for it, unless it's "Please don't be as stupid as I am, pay attention to your brakes."  A wise man once told me it's much more important to stop than to go!

VWTrav