Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 10:43:43 -0400
Reply-To: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Another Rear Brake Saga
In-Reply-To: <86476e250903312042m2b485d57y930040884daf2cd1@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
If you are even a little good at Hocus Focus that used to come in the
Saturday paper and you have the rear brake schematic for the Vanagon
(Bentley Manual) you can see what your problem is within 30 seconds once
the drum is off. Main Shoe retaining springs on upside down and jamming
adjuster, adjuster installed incorrectly, rear brake shoe on the wrong
side. I see at least one of these almost every time I mess with rear
brakes. It is because the mechanic won't swallow his pride and look at
the book to be sure he is putting things back right. I do this job at
least once every two weeks and I always look at the picture because your
brain can get twisted around. This would solve so many "poor braking"
issues with the Vanagon it is not funny. People go out and buy all new
brake components just because their rear brakes aren't adjusted/set up
right and if they don't adjust them properly the brakes will still feel
like crap. My brakes are great in my van and they are all stock and not
even new. But the rears are set up and adjusted up (by themselves if
you set it up right) and they feel great. No problems getting through
inspection, etc. Let me know if I can help anyone with parts and as I
said I will also supply you with my step by step rear brake write up
that helps eliminate these issues. Even if you are going to get
someone else to do the job take the print out to them and they will
thank you.
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
Loren Busch wrote:
> 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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