Date: Sun, 25 Nov 2001 11:51:01 -0600
Reply-To: Larry Alofs <lalofs@ENTERACT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Larry Alofs <lalofs@ENTERACT.COM>
Subject: Re: Serious brake question
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Vanagon Man wrote:
> Volks,
> I am having a brake issue with my 81 that is truly puzzling. I have done
> brake work on several vanagons, and seem to get good results, on one van i
> know ofjust touch the pedal and you will hit the window!!!!! However on my
> personal daily driver my brakes SUCK!
>
> Here is what I have done.
>
> New pads/rotors both sides including new pins and pad plates
> New rubber flex lines on all corners
> New rear brake springs
> New rear pads and drums
> New master cylinder
> Rebuilt brake booster
>
> As you can see, you name it, i have replaced it, and they still suck.
>
> Last Tuesday i pressure bled the system, and same result.
>
> Here are the symptoms. Pedal is not harm or firm......spongy. I have done
> a complete fluid change with the same results....nothing seems to be
> leaking. The rear drums are adjusted, and the e brake holds on the third
> click.
>
> The only thing that i can think of is just maybe the brake adjusting
> mechanism is backwards. There is no good pic in any of my repair manuals of
> how the forked end on the adjustment bar goes..........I only do one side at
> a time when i do brakes, so i did not mismatch parts, although a previous
> owner may have..............If anyone has a pic of a correctly put together
> set of brake shoes on the rear of a vanagon, please send it on...i might be
> bale to see how that fork should go.
>
> They should stop on a dime, and they do not. It feels like i need to pump,
> but pumping does not help. hold them to the floor and they never "lock up"
> any ideas would sure help.......other than that my van is running great!!!
> I do a lot of mountain traveling, and thus need better brakes.
>
> Adam P
> 81 westy (3 of them)
> 74 beetle
> 73 Transporter (at paint shop!)
> 70 Single Cab "Whitey"
> Vanagon Partsmobiles
Someone posted a few weeks ago about a similar problem. The problem was solved
by getting rid of an air bubble in the master cylinder, but I don't know how
that was done. Just a thought.
Perhaps that person could give more details.
Larry A.
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