Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (October 2000, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Tue, 24 Oct 2000 11:11:53 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: brake pedal low--questions
Comments: To: Oxroad@AOL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <64.7a9d963.2726914f@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 03:16 10/24/2000, Jeffrey R wrote:

>I believe the rears are self-adjusting (?) Does that mean I just back up and >hit the brakes and they should tighten? Because I have tried this and they >don't. Is there a trick?

These particular self-adjusters work (when they do) by simple application of the brakes, travel direction not relevant. However they don't have much power, the parts have to be free to turn.

>Is it time to take off the drums and check out what's going on?

I think so, yes.

>Do the drums come off without removing the 36mm hub bolt?

Yes (It's a 46 mm nut). They come off without removing that, also <g>. There's an M6 bolt holding the face of the drum onto the hub, which is entirely unnecessary as the drum is actually held on by the road wheel. Access to the innards is better if you take the hub off, but it's by no means necessary. If you *do* take it off, it must be replaced if necessary with a nut with ten castellated slots (vs. 6), and torqued first to 360 lb-ft, then so that the next slot lines up with the hole for cotter pin.

>And is there >anything I should know before attempting to remove the drums?

Bentley gives the adjusting procedure on 46.9 as part of the R&R starting 46.7. The shoes are not interchangeable left and right or front to rear -- observe before removing. Likewise observe how the tension springs are rigged. The ends of your fingers are *just barely* stronger than the retaining springs that hold the shoes to the backing plate. Or not. A blunt-ended pliers or other pushing tool helps. All contact areas btw backing plate and shoes should be lightly greased. The backing plates are not structural except that they align the shoes with the drum, so they can get pretty thin; but eventually they have to come off. They are also not interchangeable left to right, but the handbrake cables are, by interchanging the fitting at the forward end of the cable housing (so use your old one if needed). Bus Depot has left-side brake assy's including plate, shoes, cable for sale cheap. You *do* need to remove the hub to get the backing plate off. The pivot ass'y at the bottom of the plate is spot-welded onto the plate for assembly purposes, but may be easier to remove the plate by twisting that pivot around its dowel pin and removing it first. You can reweld it or just grind off the nub -- the weld isn't structural. Brake dust may contain asbestos and is harmful to you, wash it down with brake cleaner and not with compressed air. Pi is roughly 3.14159265359, or about $5 for a big one at BJ's.

> Do you have to >bang them slowly?

One of them very slowly...the other doesn't matter. <WEG>

david David Beierl - Providence, RI http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/ '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage" '85 GL "Poor Relation"


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.