Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:45:07 -0700
Reply-To: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Rear brake questions
In-Reply-To: <000801c91f40$11a713a0$4001a8c0@gateway.2wire.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Hey Don.
This is based upon my own experience/reading. Use at your own risk!
:^)
Since the shoes were worn less on the leaky cylinder side, this would
make sense to me. Possibly due to a less efficient wheel cylinder or
the PO had them adjusted and/or assembled wrong.
Personally, I'd do both sides (wheel cylinders/shoes/hardware) at the
same time.
Buy your brake hardware from the dealership, or some who KNOWS what
will fit right.
When parts are renewed, assembled, and adjusted correctly, the hand
brake should start to engage on the first 2 or 3 clicks and hold just
fine. FWIW, my '81 (also the older design) holds fine on most grades.
But on a really steep hill with no curb, I chock a tire..... but then
I worry too much!
I don't think you need to do a complete bleed unless the fluid needs
renewing. How long has it been? The colour of the fluid may indicate
if the system needs flushing. (dirty etc.)
Cover/tie off (baggy? Saran?) the end of the steel line or find some
suitable cap (bleeder screw cover?) to keep fluid from leaking more
than it should. If it were me, and the fluid was still ok, I'd bleed
both rear wheels, but if you only replace the one cylinder, it may be
fine just bleeding the one you work on.
And likely you know this but.....
Only push the brake pedal about halfway when bleeding. NOT all the way down.
It is normal to have the top of the shoe wear more. This is where the
wheel cylinder pushes the shoe out, and the bottom is "anchored" so it
doesn't wear as much.
Before adjusting the shoes, back off the e-brake adjustment. With the
shoes adjusted correctly, adjust the e-brake.
You got Bentley? --- :^)
Neil.
On Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 11:53 AM, Don Hanson <dhanson@gorge.net> wrote:
> Hi all,
> I'm doing a rear brake job on my 84. Found one slightly weeping wheel
> cylinder, so I have a replacement for that as well as new shoes for both
> rears. When I replace the wheel cylinder, do I have to do a complete bleed?
> Including the clutch? Or just bleed that one wheel's line?
>
> Second question: I notice the old shoes are very worn on the "top" and
> almost full thickness still at the "bottom". "top" meaning the end of the
> shoes that are at the top of the drum next to the wheel cylinder. One wheel
> is pretty radical...not the one with the leaky cylinder, BTW. The other
> is not quite so bad..with about 3/4 thickness on the shoe at the bottom and
> perhaps a mm or two of lining left at the cylinder end.
>
> Is that somewhat normal? Did the PO get the shoes in there wrong? Seems
> like the wear should be more even around the whole radius of the shoes, but
> these, it looks like the cylinder end is doing most of the work of stopping
> and taking most of the wear.
>
> Well, off to have the drums turned and hopefully I'll have an answer
> waiting...fingers crossed... so I can do the job correctly and finish this
> afternoon.
>
> Thanks, Don Hanson
>
> If it helps, my parking brake barely holds the van on a 5-6% grade when
> pulled on as hard as I can get it..it seems to be adjusted ok, just no
> holding power. I read the mechanical leverage on the older (84) E-brake
> handle is not great, but mine it almost not functioning...and I have a horse
> gate to open and close each time up my drive, one on a 5% grade...
>
--
Neil Nicholson '81 JettaWesty "Jaco
http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
