The spindle to the right and the caliper holder in my hand
Instead I turn to plan D!So, what is plan D?
My friend Björn at the Audi A2 EV Facebook Group showed me a forum where people discuss upgrading the brakes on their A2:s to larger discs. In turns out there is another chassis component used in some VW Polos, Seat Ibizas and others.
I managed to find the same spindle from a Skoda Fabia so my new plan D is to use the spindles from a 2004 Skoda Fabia and the orignial caliper holders, discs and calipers from it. Wish me luck!
I did some dismantling of the rear wheel in order to measure for the adapter plate for the rear disc plates. I will probably do a mockup in wood first. It's tricky to measure right in 3D!
The stub axle between the old drum brake pads and the rear axle behind (just in front of the spring). Between the rear axle and and stub axle is where the adapter plate goes.
Below are som skethes of the original drum brakes and the planned convertion to disc brakes
Swedish to English translation
bakaxel = rear axle
axeltapp = stub axle
nav med hjullager = hub with wheel bearing
bromstrumma = brake drum
adapterplatta = adapter plate
okhållare = caliper holder
bromsskiva = brake disc (rotor)
seems like if you can show that your conversion is coming in close to the OEM weight, a brake 'upgrade' shouldn't be required. My guess is the guideline is left-over from the days of lead-acid conversions?
ReplyDeleteActually the brake conversion has not so much to do with the weight of the car. Converting the brakes is a way of circumventing the Swedish regulations for converting cars!
ReplyDeleteI'll try to explain the regulations (as I understand them).
If you convert an older car (< 1993) everything is pretty easy. But, if you convert a car newer than 1993 things get messy. Basicly the are two categories of converted cars, "changed vehicle" (ändrat fordon in Swedish) and "rebuilt vehicle" (ombyggd fordon). A changed vehicle implies less changes and a rebuilt vehicle implies more changes done to the car.
For a car newer than 1993, if you only change the engine (which an electric conversion is) you need the car manufacturers certificate that the new engine is OK to put into the car. That means getting VAG to certify that the electric motor I have put in is OK for the A2. This they will never do! And this closes the path to have a newer car classed as a changed vehicle. You have to go the other path, making it a rebuilt vehicle.
In order for a conversion to be categorized as rebuilt vehicle at least two out of three major components of the car have to be changed. The major components are 1) engine and drive train, 2) brake system, 3) steering. And since the brakes are easier to change than the steering this is the way most car converters in Sweden do it.
To summarize. If you want to convert a car to electric in Sweden, either use a car older than 1993 or also change the brakes or steering.
The certification procedure is different for a rebuilt vehicle compared to a changed vehicle. There is an organzation called The National Swedish Vehicle Builders Organisation (Svenska Fordonsbyggares RiksOrganisation, SFRO) who perform a pre-approval of the car and the official certification agencies basicly only check that SFRO have performed the steps they need to do and then issue a new certification.