Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 12:59:09 -0400
Reply-To: fitzr@SUSCOM-MAINE.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Doug Fitz-Randolph <fitzr@SUSCOM-MAINE.NET>
Subject: Re: Parking brake adjustment, '82
In-Reply-To: <821495.40456.qm@web36403.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Yes, odd, huh? I looked on ETKA and on-line at pictures of the cable, and
I think I may have an explanation. On the brake backing plate is an
angled 'ferrule' or 'stop', for lack of a better term, that the
cable goes through. It appears to slide into place in the backing
plate... i.e. you would slide the stop into place, then put the cable
through it and attach the end of the cable to the lever on the rear shoe
inside the drum.
On mine, the cable ferrule/stops are not seated in the backing plate -
they are just pushed up against it when the cable is taut, and loose
when it it not. My shoes look to be pretty new... so I surmise that
whoever last worked on the brakes pulled the cables all the way out and
then for some reason removed the cable stops, and when they reinstalled
the cables they slid the stops on the cables rather then seating them in
the backing plate then passing the cable through, then finished the
brakes. It doesn't look like you can seat the stops with the cable
running through them, so I'm guessing they didn't want to disassemble
everything again so just left them the way they were. And if it is the
guy I think it was, this would have totally been in character for him.
That said, even though the cable stops are not installed correctly, I
think my problem might be sticking hardware and/or weak springs. I have
a set of springs and hardware which I guess I should just install. I got
them from Bus Depot many years ago and never used them - the shoe
retaining pins are about 1/4" too short, and the existing pins do not
fit through the new retaining pin spring caps, but if I dremel them a
little they will. The old caps are totally crusty - one actually
popped-off when I moved the shoe.
- Doug
On 5/5/2008, "Jake Beaulieu" <jake_beaulieu@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>Doug Fitz-Randolph <fitzr@SUSCOM-MAINE.NET> wrote: I'm having a bit of trouble with adjusting the parking brake on my '82. If
>has not worked properly since I got the van last year.
>
>If I look at the cable on the right, it's "hanging out"
>of the backing plate, that is, the "spring" part which usually lives inside
>the drum is now protruding by about 1/2" and flops freely. Hey Doug,
>
> I had a similar situation on my 82 westy. The lever that the cable pulls wouldn't return to its "default" position when I released the brake. I tried cleaning and lubrication the lever to no avail. I finally replaced all the hardware (new springs, lever, etc) and it has worked fine ever since.
> I find it odd that the spring part of the cable is actually hanging out of the backing plate. The cable was seated very firmly into the backing plate on my van and there is no way that the spring could have protruded out the back. I wonder is a PO put in an aftermarket cable?
>
> jake
>
>
>
>---------------------------------
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