Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 12:10:05 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Replacing the master cylider
In-Reply-To: <832A34C0A3464CE5B3EFD2C4E5FCED42@ZoltanPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Yes,
The basic job is very simple.
Getting ALL the details perfect, and addressing whatever else the brake
system may need, from booster to rear shoes and cylinders, to hoses, to
bleeding properly and thoroughly, , to front calipers not having frozen
pistons......etc. - is 'more' -
Can be far more than just slapping in a new MC and bleeding the brakes.
The van is what ? - 20 + years old, right ?
Actually, after 25 years or so, ANY original part, in almost any system, is
suspect, or very worthy of careful consideration. I have never see a bad
pressure limiting valve however, regardless of age, but EACH part needs to
be considered, especially in a critical system like brakes.
Especially for someone who has not done it before ..........getting it
really right can be a big taks.
There can be a LOT to getting it fully, completely, and really right.
People tend to think that in a system of say 20 parts, all is fine but just
one part is shot. Not how it usually is.
There is a whole train of 20 parts, all at some point through their
life.........all of them are 60 % tired say, those that havn't been
replaced.
Expecting that the one dead part , say the MC, is going to transform the
entire system of 20 parts, all of which are somewhat tired, and some even
shot ( like rear cylinders and shoes, for example ) ........
Expecting that 'all is perfect' except the one finally died part .........is
unrealistic, if not foolish even.
The whole system wears together gradually.
The parts that fail the soonest are rear wheel cylinders usually.
Heck, even if they are just barely starting to leak......changing the brake
fluid, emptying out the brake dust, tweaking up the rear adjusters a tab
perhaps......even just 'psychic healing' like this can keep the system
working until you can plan a full and proper rear brake job, and bleed ALL
brakes, including clutch hydraulic circuit - it's the same Reservoir after
all.
If I so much as look at or touch any brake - I bleed fresh brake fluid to
that brake at least.
Brake fluid is supposed changed every two years. It is often not done, and
often NEVER done.
It is entirely incorrect, and will COST YOU MORE if you just operate any
system until you can tell something is not right.
Bleeding in new high quality brake fluid to all 4 wheels and the clutch
hydraulic circuit once a year would not cost much at all, and would be just
wonderful for the van.
In fact ......if you do that, stay up on how the front pads are, check for
stuck front pistons, make sure the rear cylinders aren't leaking, and the
shoes are in good shape there - make sure the adjuster system is keeping the
shoes where they belong .........
If you did that, the brakes are good for years easily, with no real wear
other than brake friction material.
But the very worst think you can do for ANY system on a car is operate it
until you can tell something isn't right.
By they you have wear in almost all the components of the system.
'IT all adds up."
Proactive maintanece is about 10 times less expensive than repair.
I guess they don't teach this - in high school or wherever.
But believe me, operating say CV joints until 'something doesn't sound
right' ..........just costs you more, and might strand you somewhere too,
Or injure you or your van in the case of brakes or steering systems.
Not sorry to lecture, well sorry some, but I think there needs to be a lot
more awareness of how to take care of these babies.
They are VERY worthy of taking care of.
Vanagons are unique, have tons of life left in them, super useful and
lovable, and damn good vehicles overall.
We're even lucky we get to drive them.
The way state governments are passing whatever they hell laws they want - we
will be lucky if we are not forced to drive cars less than 10 years old - if
you knew what some states are doing in their road and car laws, and their
laws about impounding cars, or extreme moving violation fines.........it
would frighten you. I study it full time, and it's Big Brother descending,
badly.
I expect we'll mostly be able to keep using our babies a while yet.
AND .....even if gas is horribly expensive, a Westy or other type of camper
vanagon is a fantastic thing, just being used for that purpose, don't even
have to put many miles on it to enjoy the heck out of it.
So please, for your money, your safety, and the safety of others on the
road, and to preserve our deeply loved Vanagons, take care of them
proactively ! It's REALLY very easy to do, when you know how. It's child's
play, it's that easy, when you know how. Doesn't even take a huge amount of
equipment or anything. Many knowledge and experience too, that always
helps, and you get that by working on your vanagon.
Thanks,
Scott
www.turbovans.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Zoltan Kuthy
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 8:38 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Replacing the master cylider
My God! One of most simple jobs to do on the car. Of course, the
instrument comes out, but that's all. Even that is a standard thing to do
on these cars. After that, it is to take the nuts off and pull the thing
out. Sure, one can drain the brake fluid tank and clip off the other tubes
until the new one is back. And its a good time to clean the container out
of gunk. But a standard mechanic won't do those anyway.
You can do it in twenty minutes if you did it a few time before. Otherwise,
two hours.
Zoltan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Frank Condelli" <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 3:10 AM
Subject: Re: Replacing the master cylider
> In a message dated 09/05/2008 11:40:44 A.M. Central Standard Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
> My mechanic tells me he needs to take the dash apart to replace the
> master
> cylinder. He has never done a Vanagon before and he does not have it in
> front of him right now. He wants to wait until he has allot of time
> available before I drop it off.
>
> Is this true, do you need to take the dash apart?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> More BS from those who don't know what they are doing ! It a simple job,
> removal of the instrument cluster is all that's needed. The worst part
> will
> be opening the bleeders on the rear wheel cylinders without breaking them
> off
> !!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
> _Frank Condelli & Associates_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
> - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
> _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper
> camping event, Almonte, ON, June12 ~ 15, 2008
>
>
> --
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> 12:38 PM
>
>
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