Date:         Mon, 9 Oct 2000 08:00:42 -0500
Reply-To:     arbosch@RA.ROCKWELL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alan Bosch <arbosch@RA.ROCKWELL.COM>
Subject:      (Update) was: Anyone know what size the axle nit is? And brakes
              in general.
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Thanks to all that respond to my plea for help yesterday.  The rear drum is
off and I didn't need to take the axle nut off to do it.

Some observations about doing the brakes on a '88 Wolfsburg:

It's painfully obvious that the brakes on my van have never been serviced
before.  Or, if they were, it was just the fronts - and that was just
replacing the pads.

The callipers on the front were badly corroded.  When I tried to get the
metal brake hose off to transfer to the new callipers, I rounded the heads
off, using a 11mm brake line tool.  Found a FLAPS that was willing to bend
a three inch metal brake hose that would replace the original.  They also
removed the stripped nipple and line, but I couldn't tell you how.  It's
not a real neat solution, but it works and does not interfere with any
other parts - in other words, it doesn't rub on the wheels or get caught in
the suspension when the wheels are turned.  I also had to fabricate the
bracket where the metal calliper line and the rubber brake hose meet.  The
original one mounted on the callipers just could not be persuaded to
transfer.

About the callipers themselves...  Bentley says that you need to replace
one of the calliper mounting bolts if it has been used/removed, as the are
self-locking.  On a set of new callipers, once they are installed, you have
to remove said bolt to install the pads.  That means your new, never been
used callipers need another new part before they are even installed.
Another trip to the FLAPS to get the bolt - only to be told that the
"self-locking" is really a squirt of Lock-tite-type stuff on the bolt when
installed at the factory.  Anyway, after a full day of tinkering, the
fronts are done.  On to the rears!

Or so I thought.  The rear axle bolts are both rusted in place.  The cotter
pins also held fast.  No FLAPS has a 46mm axle socket and Sears is just too
far at that instant.  List helps getting the drums off - those two little
bolts were a piece of cake, even if I feel a bit foolish for not knowing
that's all it took to remove the drums.  'Course, the drums themselves
needed a bit of Prussian with a sturdy mallet.  The innards of the
passenger side rear were toast.  Brake fluid everywhere, no lining on the
shoes, broken adjuster wheel.  The bolt holding the wheel cylinder in place
came off easily, but the brake line nipple is toast.  Rounded another one.
I packed it in last night, around 11:00 pm, just to frustrated to continue.

If you are contemplating doing the brakes in the not-too-distant future,
you may want to make a realistic list of the pieces/parts you actually
going to need.  Those new callipers you got from BusDepot or Vanagain are
next to worthless if you can't get the metal brake line off the old
calliper to transfer to the new.  And that little bracket mounted to the
calliper need to be transferred as well.  Oh, and they don't come on the
new callipers.  Similarly, those new brake shoes are going to need mounting
hardware.  Get a hardware kit - the springs, etc., don't come with the new
shoes.

One last thing - make sure you have the right tools before you start.
Don't expect a combination wrench to work on the brake line nipples.  And
get a few cans of WD-40 too.  You'll use it.

Alan Bosch
& Phred ('88 Wolfsburg)
Rochester, NY