Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 12:48:01 -0400
Message-ID: <redirect-1737315@logan.com>
From: RWolf99@aol.com
Subject: Matco
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My reason for asking when Matco was sold relates to a purchase I made from 
them at Oshkosh this year.  Actually, these items may be of interest to the 
readership -- at least those that still use Matco wheels and brakes.

1)  Matco claims that they improved the brake pad material since I bought my 
kit in 1994.  They admit that the early pads had less friction than the 
Cleveland pads.  They claim that the friction with the new formulation is 
higher now than the Cleveland pads.  I'm not sure what constitutes "new" but 
I think it was a few years ago.

2)  I bought a set of replacement pads already riveted to the metal plates.  
As part of this deal, when I send my old plates to them when the pads wear 
out, they will install new pads for free, for life.  I still have to pay for 
the new brake pads but not the rivets or the labor.  Having a spare pair of 
pads on hand, I can replace them as needed and take my sweet time about 
renewing the pads.

3)  I also bought stainless steel "sliders", which is probably not the real 
name for those tubes that go over the bolt that the movable part of the brake 
slides on.  It's probably called a spacer.  Anyway, the ones delivered with 
my kit were not stainless, and several of y'all have had them eventually rust 
and cause the brakes to drag by not fully releasing.  Stainless ones are 
available for $5 each.  I was planning on making them eventually but Matco 
beat me to it, so I just bought 'em from them.

- Rob Wolf