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Date:         Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:28:56 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Pulsating Brake Pedal (Need Solution)
Comments: To: Blake Heinlein <blakeheinlein@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <f038a2e20903261342l118ae8a0x986012ce37cecc33@mail.gmail.co m>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 04:42 PM 3/26/2009, Blake Heinlein wrote: > 1. Axle is bent

No opinion except not likely. Don't know enough.

> 2. Hub (part with the wheel studs) is bent

Ditto

> 3. Something wrong with wheel bearings

Ditto

> 4. Something wrong with proportioning valve to rear wheel

Strongly believe not -- opinion, not authoritative.

> 5. The axle nut is not torqued correctly

That can wreck your splines, but I don't believe it would cause this.

> 6. Brake pads don't seat properly in the drums (i.e. the > curvature radius is different)

If radius too small they'll just seat on the high spot. If too large, they'll seat on the ends. In either case I can't see them tripping on the rotating drum, which they'd need to to make them jump.

Three thoughts: a) Look for a bur or foreign material stuck to the hub/drum mating surfaces. b) Check runout and wobble on the hub using a dial gauge and magnetic stand. Compare with other side. For cheap substitute for dial gauge, use a piece of chalk on a stand and compare length of marks. Measure wobble at same radius on hub, of course, near the edge. For runout, clean rust off the edge or if necessary measure against a shim held at the base of each stud. You'd need the gauge for that. c) Swap drums left to right to isolate problem.

d) (bonus) I've had a set of drums wrecked by shop that turned them. Shop owner (an acquaintance) suggested that VW drums with thin inner rim don't mate very reliably with American drum lathes. I have no opinion on this opinion. d1) It's perfectly possible to get a bad new part.

-- David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/ '89 Po' White Star "Scamp"


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