Brakes / Wheels
The stock Vans brakes are fine however aftermarket brakes promise improvements (concerning heat, braking action and weight). They usually come as a complete set (wheel, disk and brake calipers).
The Vans stock nose wheel used to have an axle that was hard to adjust which made most builders order an aftermarket nose wheel but since September 2021, Vans has changed the design and started shipping Matco wheels with a newly designed axle.
Companies supplying aftermarket Brake / Wheel sets
- Beringer (known for high quality and being lightweight; a good investment, but it is a big one; also replacement brake pads are reported 4/2022 to be close to $100 per wheel)
- Grove (known for better master cylinders, the stock ones hang after some years)
- Matco (known for higher brake action than stock)
Improvements to Brake Pedal and stock Master Cylinder
- Single axis instead of bolts on each side:
At McMaster.com:
- 8 x 9440T63 High-Temperature Dry-Running Flanged Sleeve Bearing, 841 Bronze, For 3/16" Shaft Diameter
- 1 x 8893K178 Tight-Tolerance Oil-Hardening O1 Tool Steel Rod, 0.1875" Diameter, 3 Feet Long
- 8 x 6432K19 Set Screw Shaft Collar For 3/16" Diameter, Zinc-Plated 1215 Carbon Steel
- Return spring for master cylinder
At McMaster.com:
- 8 x 6389K625 Light Duty Dry-Running Nylon Sleeve Bearing, 1/16" Thick Flange, 3/8" Shaft, 1/2" Housing Id, 3/8" Long
- 4 x 9657K432 Compression Spring, 3" Long, 0.6" Od, 0.51" Id