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
In-Reply-To: <64.7a9d963.2726914f@aol.com>
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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"