On this page:

•  1995-1996 EuroVan Front Suspension Manual (PDF)
•  1997-2003 EuroVan Front Suspension Manual (PDF)
•  1995-1997 EuroVan Rear Suspension Manual (PDF)
•  1999-2000 EuroVan Rear Suspension Document (PDF)
•  1999-2003 EuroVan Rear Suspension Manual (PDF)
•  2001-2003 EuroVan Brake Manual (PDF)
•  Brake Maintenance
•  Replacement Labor, Tips, and Tools
•  Replacement Parts: Front and Rear Axle

Maintenance

Volkswagen recommends a complete check for damage or leaks, brake pad thickness, and a check of the fluid level every 10,000 miles.  They also recommend that you change the brake fluid every two years regardless of mileage.  Use only DOT-4 brake fluid.

A complete visual inspection of the brake area can be accomplished much easier if the wheel is removed in order to gain access.  You should also inspect the surface of the disc rotor and see if there is any abnormal grooving or pitting occurring.  If the rotors don't look smooth and shiny, then the brake pads have worn unevenly and a further diagnosis might be needed.  Also look for any grease or oil on the disc or brake pads which could indicate a leaking brake line or caliper seal.

 

I strongly suggest that if you go to the trouble of removing the wheel to inspect the brakes, that you take a photograph of both the front and rear caliper assemblies.  Additionally, you should examine each caliper to see if you can determine the brand name, either Lucas-Girling or ATE and the VW part number of the disc rotor.  This part number is cast into the ring which is in-between the five lug bolt holes and the center hub.  Write this information down as it will become very valuable whenever you need to order new brake pads.

 

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Replacement Labor, Tips, and Tools

NOTE - In order to replace the rear axle brake pads, you need to turn the piston as you compress the caliper.  This tool is available at Pep Boys and other similar auto parts stores for as little as $12.

You can consult this Glenn-Mitchell Brake Repair booklet but note that it was originally intended for the VW Passat but also contains specific information about the EuroVan.  Procedures for brake repairs on both vehicles are nearly identical anyhow.  Otherwise, follow the advise from some other owners as detailed below.

From the Yahoo EV_Update Group (12/31/04):

Replaced original rear brake pads after "Check Brake Pad" light illuminated at 75,000 miles.  New OEM pads obtained from Steve Schock at europarts-sd.com for $84.95 plus shipping.  Upon removal, old pad plus backing plate measured 10.3 mm (new is 13.5 mm; minimum is 8.5 mm), thus, at that rate I had 42,000 more miles before replacement limit was reached.  Brake disc measured 12.47 mm (new rotor is 13.5 mm, minimum is 11.5 mm).

Replacement of one wheel's pads at a time was fairly simple using following procedure.

1. Block front wheels to stabilize EV.

2. Release parking brake.

3. Jack up EV and support with jack stand.

4. Remove wheel.

5. Remove parking brake cable (its end is bulb-shaped and can be slipped off the arm on the brake-carrier by using a screwdriver).

6. Disconnect wear sensor harness connector.

7. Remove and dispose of the two 13 mm attachment bolts from the brake caliper housing using a 16 mm thin open-end wrench to prevent the guide pins from turning.

8. Remove brake caliper housing by prying with large screwdriver and support the housing to prevent damage to brake hose.

9. Pry off and dispose of retention spring that clips into brake caliper housing to secure wire for wear indicator.

10. Remove and dispose of brake pads.

11. Replace brake pad retention plates (new plates provided with new pads).

12. Compress brake caliper while turning caliper clockwise (using a piston resetting tool makes this step simple).  Caution is required to prevent brake fluid reservoir from overflowing when the brake caliber is compressed.  Some of the fluid may have to be siphoned out.

13. Install new pads in brake carrier.

14. Replace brake caliper housing.

15. Reconnect wear sensor harness connector and secure both the bracket and the brake caliper housing with two new self-locking 13 mm bolts (provided with new pads) tightened to 25 ft-lb.

16. Install new retention spring (provided with new pads) (see step #9).

17. Reconnect parking brake cable.

18. Replace wheel and torque lug bolts to 130 ft-lb.

19. Depress brake pedal several times to seat brake pads in their normal operating position.

20. Check brake fluid level in reservoir.

Good luck,
Bob Williams
2001 Weekender

From: "yanksrv <jdr56@...>"
Subject: [Rialta-Tech] How to on brakes

How to change the brakes on a 2000 QD.

Check to make sure that you have everything that you need to do the job completely and safely.  The task is an easy one but you need to double check that you have the RIGHT PADS.  Once you are sure that the pads are correct then the real fun begins.  (Don't trust anyone; check the pad yourself).

1. Jack up the front end (I did one side at a time) and place a jack stand under the vehicle and remove the tire.

2. Once you have the tire off inspect the rotor for abnormal wear (deep groves or outside edge).  If any is found, you need to have the rotors turned.  I think anything under .800" means you have to replace the rotor.

3. Remove the cover off your brake fluid reservoir and place a clean rag over it.

4. Next pry the pad on the inside to the rear to return the cylinder back so you can slide in the new pads.

5. To replace the pads there is a green color clip that needs to be removed and the two pins slide to the inside and the pads will lift out.

6. Match up the pads slide them into place there will be a spring like thing on the inside pad that will need to be pressed down to slide the pins back in place.  Then replace the green pin and put everything back in its proper place.

7. Note: if rotor has to be replaced or resurfaced there are two 19mm bolts on the backside of the spindles that you have to remove.  The bolts are in there SUPER TIGHT so be careful.

Now for the rear brakes; it's almost the same except for small differences.

1. There are two bolts at the top of each caliper that come with your new brakes that you have to loosen (a pair of vice grips work wonders here) make sure that the inside bolt is not turning if so vice grip it.

2. Then remove and replace the pads

3. THIS IS THE TRICKY PART (almost cost me a bunch of money).  THE REAR CALIPER IS THE SCREW DOWN TYPE AND YOU NEED A SPECIAL TOOL TO GET CALIPER BACK SO YOU CAN PUT IT BACK TOGETHER.

4. Once you have got this far and all your hair is intact and the dog is still your buddy its time to check all bolts and lug nuts to ensure that they are tight and your good old bottle of DOT4 brake fluid has been used to top off the brake fluid reservoir.  Pump the volume on the brake pedal and clear the driveway of any thing that you don't want to hit in case you forgot to do something while you have undertaken this job.  And venture out into the world knowing that you have done this yourself.

5. If something goes wrong or gets broken (other than knuckles) go to your nearest shop and ask for help.

 

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Replacement Parts:

Purchasing replacement brake pads for a Rialta really breaks down into two separate chores:

1. Determining the correct pads for the front axle... which is easy.
2. Determining the pads for the rear axle... which may not be so easy.

Front Axle:

First of all, you must know the model year of the EV chassis upon which your Rialta is based.  It may be up to three years earlier or it may be the same year.  You can only tell by the VIN. Now knowing which year of EuroVan you have, the choice of brake pads breaks down into three categories:

1. 1999 and earlier
2. 2000
3. 2001 and later

Aside from size differences, the 1999 and earlier have no wear sensors.  The year 2000 should have one wear sensor on the left front wheel.  The 2001 and later models will have a wear sensor on both front wheels.

The 2000 and later models are a known brand and size.  Getting the correct pads should be easy if you check the chart shown below.  However, the 1999 and earlier models will have either the Lucas-Girling brake caliper or the ATE brake caliper.  The pads are not interchangeable and you will need to identify which caliper is on your vehicle before you order.  Check front calipers carefully as there are several different pad/caliper versions.  Girling: pads are rectangular & held by 2 pins.  ATE pads are arched and have "ears" on either side.

Model Year of EV Chassis	Front Caliper	Front Rotor	Front Wear Sensors	VW Brake Pad Number
1995	Lucas: 701 615 123C (L) Lucas: 701 615 124C (R) ATE (?)	280 x 24mm 701 615 301D	none	Lucas:701 698 151G ATE (?)
1996	Lucas: 701 615 123C (L) Lucas: 701 615 124C (R) ATE (?)	280 x 24mm 701 615 301D	none	Lucas:701 698 151G ATE (?)
1997	Lucas: 701 615 123C (L) Lucas: 701 615 124C (R) ATE: 7D0 615 123 (L) ATE: 7D0 615 124 (R)	Vented 7D0 615 301C	none	Lucas:701 698 151G ATE: 7D0 698 151
1998	Lucas: 701 615 123C (L) Lucas: 701 615 124C (R) ATE: 7D0 615 123 (L) ATE: 7D0 615 124 (R)	Vented 7D0 615 301C	none	Lucas:701 698 151G ATE: 7D0 698 151
1999	Lucas: 701 615 123C (L) Lucas: 701 615 124C (R) ATE: 7D0 615 123 (L) ATE: 7D0 615 124 (R)	Vented 7D0 615 301C	none	Lucas:701 698 151G ATE: 7D0 698 151
2000	Lucas-Girling or ATE	Vented 7D0 615 301C	Lucas: LF Only ATE: none	Lucas: 701 698 151C ATE: 701 698 151
2001	ATE 7D0 615 123C(L) 7D0 615 124C (R)	313mm 7M3 615 301 1	Both	7M3 698 151A
2002	ATE 7D0 615 123C(L) 7D0 615 124C (R)	313mm 7M3 615 301	Both	7M3 698 151A
2003	ATE 7D0 615 123C(Left) 7D0 615 124C (Right)	313mm 7M3 615 301	Both	7M3 698 151A

NOTES -

1. This first 955 units built by VW for the 2000 model year used 300mm rotors instead of 313mm.  The brake pads are smaller.

 

Rear Axle

At this point in time I am unsure of how Winnebago followed the brake changes initiated by Volkswagen.  Winnebago purchased the brake and hub parts in bulk.  In other words, each empty EuroVan chassis received by Winnebago did not come with a box of brakes parts.  If it did, then we could be fairly sure that the rear brakes were the same on the Rialta as the regular EuroVan.  Because Winnebago purchased the brake parts separately, one scenario could see left over older style parts being installed on a newer EuroVan chassis.  Another scenario could have one vehicle coming off the assembly line with the last of the old parts while the very next vehicle could have the newer parts being used.  So the actual year of the EuroVan chassis and even the Rialta are not really definitive tools in determining which brakes were used.  However, if parts from one older design were used on a few of the newer Rialtas, those would probably be an exception rather than a rule.  Generally speaking, you can use the following chart which is based on the model year of the Rialta Coach.

Fortunately, the rear brake design breaks down into one of two categories:

1. 280mm diameter rotor; No wear sensors or only one sensor on the right rear = 2001 Rialtas and earlier design
2. 294mm diameter rotor; Two sensors total (one on each wheel) = 2002 Rialtas and later design

Model Year of Rialta Coach	Rear Caliper	Rear Rotor	Rear Wear Sensors	VW Brake Pad Number
1995	?	?	none	?
1996	?	?	none	?
1997	Lucas-Girling	280 x 12mm 701 615 601A 1	none	7D0 698 451E
1998	Lucas-Girling	280 x 12mm 701 615 601A 1	none	7D0 698 451E
1999	Lucas-Girling	280 x 12mm 701 615 601A 1	none	7D0 698 451E
2000	Lucas-Girling	280 x 12mm 701 615 601A 1	RR Only 2	7D0 698 451G 2
2001	Lucas-Girling	280 x 12mm 701 615 601A 1	RR Only 2	7D0 698 451G 2
2002	Lucas-Girling	294 x 13.5mm 7D0 615 601C (?)	Both	7D0698 451F 3
2003	Lucas-Girling	294 x 13.5mm	Both	7D0698 451F 3
2004	Lucas-Girling	294 x 13.5mm	Both	7D0698 451F 3
2005	Lucas-Girling	294 x 13.5mm	Both	7D0698 451F 3

Notes -

1. Original disc rotor 701 615 601A superseded by 7D0 615 601B.

2. OEM VW Pads 7D0 698 451G with one sensor installed but Winnebago did not wire to the connection. Replacements can be pads without sensors 7D0 698 451E (much cheaper).

3. This OEM pad 7D0698 451F has wear sensors for both rear wheels. If the sensors were not wired to the connectors by Winnebago, then replacements can use the cheaper pads without sensors.

Pay special attention to note #2 and #3 above.  Apparently Winnebago never bothered running any wires back to the rear brake sensor(s) used on 2000 and later models.  All Rialtas that are based on the 2000 EuroVan (includes some 2000 Rialtas and all 2001 Rialtas) have brake pads with one sensor at the right rear wheel and I now know for a fact that this one sensor has no wiring connection completed by Winnebago.  So it is much cheaper to use the pads without sensors.  These pads are the same used on the 1999 and earlier models.  So here we have our first category of replacement pads: any 280mm diameter rotor can use 7D0 698 451E pads without any sensors.

At this point, I don't have any proof that the later models with the 294mm discs and sensors on both wheels do or don't have the wiring completed to both rear wheel sensors.  I suspect that they don't ,in which case, the replacement pads do not have to have the more expensive wear sensors.

There is one possible more way to determine what brand of brakes you have.  On the data plate of your EVC (the white sticker located on the fuse panel cover) the brakes are designated.  If you look at the bottom half of the sticker, there are a bunch of 3 letter and number codes.  It looks like a chart (6 columns by 5 rows).  If you look over on the 4th column then the third row, you will see the brake code.  It should be one of these (threw in the 15" wheel EV's from1997 on up):

1LU = 15" fist caliper FN3
1LP = 15" Lucas fist caliper C54
1LE = 15" Lucas frame caliper RC 54
1LB = 16" fist caliper FN3
1LB = 16" fist caliper FNR

As you can see, VW has pretty much offered no help in designating the 16" wheel calipers.  The official designations are the FN3 and FNR.  Just about every 16" wheel EV, I've ever seen, has the FNR brake caliper.  It seems to be the most common for 2001-2003.  The calipers do look different and you'll probably be pulling off the wheel to get a good look.  Also, the FNR caliper has a 313mm diameter brake rotor (as compared to the 300 mm one).  As for who makes each caliper, I have no idea.

One additional aid to help identify the brake systems on the 2001-2003 EuroVan chassis would be this 2001-2003 BRAKES Chart:

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