Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:42:28 -0700
Reply-To: Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Another Rear Brake Saga
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Took my '90 Westy to a new (and very good) shop today to have the rear
brakes looked at. I've not been happy with the braking since I had all the
brakes, front and rear, rebuilt some time ago. A couple times I've had the
rears adjusted and that had helped for a short time. This is what was
found:
The adjusters had been lubed with something that had solidified and they
wouldn't rotate (to do the adjusting)
The brake shoes on both wheels were cracked!! And had little wear on them,
they hadn't been doing much braking.
One shoe on each side was not even worn over about half the surface, the
curvature of the shoe was wrong!!
So I have new brake shoes on the rear now, the adjusters are now freed up
and properly lubed.
And the whole brake system has been flushed and bled. The brakes are much
better now.
Now, how did this happen? Well, two parts to that. First, the work was
done by a shop (not a VW specialist) that I trusted (and still would if they
were still in business but gone along with a lot of other independent shops
hit by the US car makers marketing schemes about four or five years ago).
Probably the first mistake I made was supporting my local shop. I'd priced
out all the parts for a complete brake rebuild front and rear if I ordered
from one of the online vendors. I gave this number to the owner of the shop
where I'd have the work done and hed checked with his local suppliers,
probably most parts from NAPA. His numbers were close enough that I had him
buy the parts instead of ordering from a trusted Vanagon parts vendor. I'm
assuming that's how I ended up with the weird brake shoes that didn't
actually fit. Second, the bad 'lube' that froze the adjusters. That was
probably the mechanic in that shop, a young guy that although working under
the supervision of a good mechanic got ahold of the wrong lube.
Lessons learned: Get your parts from a source you can trust!!
BTW, for those wondering, the new (to me) shop I took my Westy to was in
Lynnwood, WA, George at Por Bug. Over 20 years in the business but only
moved to Lynnwood (from Seattle) a couple of years ago. Highly recommended.
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