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Date:         Mon, 22 May 2006 12:16:35 -0400
Reply-To:     David Gunning <davidgunning@PIVOT.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Gunning <davidgunning@PIVOT.NET>
Subject:      Re: Rear brakes
Comments: To: "Greenamyer, William L" <william.l.greenamyer@boeing.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

If the cause of your problem really is that the shoes were glazed over by the "bilbee effect" (surficial heat generated material flow) then it might be possible to lightly file the surface with a diamond file to break the glaze. The difficulty with doing that would be the possible asbestos dust raised in the process, if brake shoes are still being made from asbestos, like they used to be. YOU REALLY DON'T WANNA BREATH ANY ASBESTOS DUST, IN EVEN THE SMALLEST AMOUNT.

Nasty stuff that asbestos dust, promotes a particularly lethal form of lung cancer.

But if you wore a face mask and severly controlled the dust issue, it could be done.

Dave

davidgunning@pivot.net

----- Original Message ----- From: "Greenamyer, William L" <william.l.greenamyer@boeing.com> To: "David Gunning" <davidgunning@pivot.net> Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 10:30 AM Subject: RE: Rear brakes

I agree with the vibration on the front. Had that happen. In this case, there was no hint of any vibration until after the van got driven on emergency brake that was to tight. Huge vibration then. When brakes readjusted again, vibration is very light now so seems to be rear brakes. My guess is that the brake pads may have gotten glazed due to heat of being always engaged with the drum when the emergency was to tight (like driving with the emergency brake on). Might fix itself but the fact that the passenger rear is the only one that makes the grind noise under light brake pressure and it is also the wheel that doesn't hold when the emergency is pulled would indicate to me that there is something wrong with that wheel or something is out of asjustment. I have never done brakes myself YET but it looks like if I want it done right, I will have to learn sooner than later. Just a matter of finding time.

William

-----Original Message----- From: David Gunning [mailto:davidgunning@pivot.net] Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 7:21 AM To: Greenamyer, William L Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com Subject: Re: Rear brakes

Not sure if this info is useful to you in any way, but as it relates to vanagon brakes and appears to have at least one overlapping symptom ("faint vibration"), thought I'd bring it to your attention, and let you decide for yourself as to it's possible relevancy. Last year I noticed a "faint vibration" when the brakes were applied in the ole 85-1.9L. As I had had the rear brakes done not too many tens of thousand miles previously, and I knew that the front brakes were still original after more than 210,000 miles and had never been replaced, I figured it was a front brake issue. Sure enough the front brakes were worn down to their nubs and replacing them cured the faint vibration.

Concerning the rear emergency brake issue, seems to me that there is an in-line cable-slack-taker-upper-cheater (I don't know what else to call the thing) that can take up small amounts of emergency brake cable slack, on one side or the other. You might want to check-it out. Of course, in a PERFECT WORLD, as we all know, all automotive parts are manufactured to similar high standards, and such cable cheaters would not be necessary. My own humble experiences in the REAL WORLD would seem to suggest, however, that someone forgot to share that "similar high standard" concept with my vanagon, Calamity Jane.

Incidentally, wonder why I think of my vanagon as female, much like boaters think of their boats as being of a female persuasion. I am sure someone must have already taken a survey of how other vanagoners view the gender of their vehicles.

Dave

davidgunning@pivot.net

----- Original Message ----- From: "Greenamyer, William L" <william.l.greenamyer@BOEING.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 8:56 AM Subject: Rear brakes

Seems that I had this grind noise occasionally from the passenger side rear brake. Had the rear end up on jacks to do some work and notices that the same wheel really didn't have much resistance to movement when the emergency brake was set where the driver side wheel could not be moved by hand. Finally got into the shop and the mechanic took everything apart and couldn't find any problem. He tightened up the emergency brake (to tight in fact in that the lever could not be released. The van got driven a little. There was a stopping vibration. Took the van back to the shop and they fixed the tight emergency brakes. Now there is a faint vibration in the rear brakes which I can feel in the pedal. Anything I should be looking for in a problem with the brakes at this time? Intermittant grind seems to be coming back as does the lack of emergency brake grab on the passenger rear brake. Drums and pads have 77K on them. What is the life on a set of pads and drums? Lots of questions here. Looking for some answers here?

William


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