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Date:         Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:52:19 -0700
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <macgroup@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <macgroup@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: I learned alot about my brakes today....
Comments: To: Troy <colorworks@GCI.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <000801c8db2a$3a72f1a0$0201a8c0@troykv7nw3q4te>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

It's the rear brakes. Disk brakes "self adjust" because the rubber piston seal retracts just enough to pull the pads back a fraction of an inch. Springs do the job with drum brakes. If you can't get the drum off, it's usually because it is so worn that there is a ridge at the edge, and you need to retract the brakes as far as possible, ratchet the adjuster back to the bottom. Drums worn this much are nearly impossible to adjust properly, because they are usually warped. The principle of hydraulic brakes is multiplication of force--a small piston pressurizes a larger one, and the force multiplies by a factor of the difference in cross sectional area. The larger piston (brake cylinder or disk caliper) has to maintain a close distance to the braking surface, or the pedal moves too much to engage the surfaces.

Stuart

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Troy Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 8:26 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: I learned alot about my brakes today....

I'll be real curious to know what your solution is. I was having a similar set of problems with my 89, and replaced the master cylinder. I bled the brakes twice, but may need to do it once more. I've also adjusted the rear brakes twice, and STILL the brakes engage somewhere around half to two thirds down. I'm quite certain my drums are a little bit warped, as the shoes do not scrape continuously, but rather just about once every revolution. I was trying to get the drums off, but what a job! I pounded the heck out of them with a hammer, plus also backed off the star wheel adjuster about 15 turns, but can't get those things to budge. May try heat next, but put the thing back together for now. I'm told that the distance the pedal travels is directly related to the rear brakes, so I'm puzzled. And it looks so easy in the video I watched;)

Troy


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