Date:         Fri, 16 Apr 2004 02:27:42 EDT
Reply-To:     THX0001@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         George Goff <THX0001@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: adjusting rear brakes
Comments: To: Oxroad@aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 4/15/04 3:20:11 AM, Oxroad@AOL.COM writes:

<< I checked the archives and found discussion on adjusting but didn't find
any
numbers as far as to specifically how how much to tighten then how much to
loosen. >>

As is specified in the Bentley, the clearance between the shoes and the drum
is 1.5 mm.  You'll need a brake caliper.  You can use a regular caliper which
measures inside and outside if its jaws are clearanced enough to clear the
ridge on the periphery of the drum.  Of course, if you are installing new drums
you don't have to worry about a ridge.  If you don't have a scaled
inside/outside caliper, you can just use inside and outside calipers to gage the clearance.

If you do not want to pull the drums, tighten the adjuster until both shoes
are firmly planted to the drum.  Then back off the adjusters until the shoes
just stop scuffing the drum.  While you are backing off the adjusters, pump the
brakes every so often to kept the shoes centered.

George