Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 13:57:17 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Parking brake adjustment, '82
In-Reply-To: <RcigsL3A.1210006749.2478530.fitzr@suscom-maine.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
Most likely the cables are binding or rusted into the jacket. Look at the
jacket carefully. If there is any distortion or rust through they are shot.
Next check is to disconect the cable at both ends and then check how the
cable slides. it must slide freely and smotthly. Any binding at all you need
a new cable. After the cables are checked out, you need to check the levers
on the brake shoes. They need to swing freely and everything needs to
installed correctly. Over the years I have come across shoes with the wrong
arms, (straight for busses with self adjusters), wrong pins on the arms,
rusted arms, and the arms on the wrong side of the shoe. Yes it matters. I
have also seen shoes with the friction material in the wrong place.
Next is proper assembly of the top springs and the adjuster bar. There is a
right and left. The top springs get mounted with the inner hooks facing up
other wise the adjusters can't turn.
Once everything is in order, the cables get adjusted with the drums off so
you can see what is going on. The top adjuster get mounted witht he front
angle edge facing the backing plate and the rear fork has the longer edge
toward the palte so it sits against the shoe. The lver goes against the
shorter fork. The lever should swing without the cable. Tak up the slack of
the adjuster but do not push the shoes out. Just take up the slack. This is
easier if you leave the adjuster spring off for now. Now connect the cables
on both sides. You want to adjust the cable so that the levers just touch
the inside of the adjuster fork. If you push the adjuster with the cable you
are too tight. After this, do not ever try to adjust the handbrake witht the
cable adjustment. This setting is critical to the self adjuster working.
After putting the adjuster spring on, you can install the drum. If you pump
the brakes you shaould actually hear the adjuster click until the shoes are
set. You can use a screwdriver thruogh the hole in the backing plate to sped
this up but you want to make sure the adjuster is working. The adjuster
takes up the slack for both the foot and handbrake.
For best brake performance, get good shoes. Overpriced OEM is still the best
lining available. Make sure the drums are not oversized from wear. Another
helpful trick is to shim out the lower shoe mounts. The shoe rests are
removable, (you may need a torch) and you can usually add 2-3mm of shims to
move out the bottom of the shoes. This will increase the surface area that
actually rubs the drum and reduce the effect of only the top half of the
shoes wearing.
Hope this helps,
Dennis
>From: Doug Fitz-Randolph <fitzr@SUSCOM-MAINE.NET>
>Reply-To: fitzr@SUSCOM-MAINE.NET
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Parking brake adjustment, '82
>Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 12:59:09 -0400
>
>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
> >
> >
> >
> >---------------------------------
> >Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try
>it now.
> >
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