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Date:         Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:09:58 -0400
Reply-To:     Chris S <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chris S <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Rear Brake Shoe Design Questions
Comments: To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <6bc66ccf0904301145g66d0a553hfd6defa5631ec922@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

Friday or not, if the rear brakes provide an amount of braking power which is adequately proportionate to the front, and if this power is given by partial shoe contact, so be it. The concern is not absolute power but front-to-rear balance. Too powerful rear brakes will send your butt sideways during a panic stop faster than you can say "Heilige bremsen, Herr Batman!"

On 4/30/09, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote: > The rear drum brakes on MY van..an '84..they are laughable. First time I > looked at them, I was amazed..."This is how it was sold?" I thought. The > brake shoe mechanisim in the rear hub reminded me of what you might see on a > stagecoach...except the stagecoach ones must have worked better with just a > single 'center'.rather than pretty much pivoting on one end and moving only > the other end.... I bet you can find vanagon rear shoes with linings that > are untouched on one end and worn to steel on the other. > They do help stop the van, I guess. Musta been a Friday when > the VW engineers sent in that design to Managment..I am not complaining > though..they work. > If I lived and worked somewhere involving a commute through the mountains > or over a pass, I guess I'd swap them for something different, a set up that > actually used the braking surface that you pay for on the shoes... > Don Hanson > > On Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 10:27 AM, neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Hi all. >> >> I read of details regarding spacers (Dennis Haynes) one could install >> at anchor end of the brake shoes. My understanding is that this would >> help ensure more of the shoe contacts the drum. >> >> Does adding spacers accomplish something similar to arcing the shoes? >> (not done much these days from what I've read) >> >> Were VW shoes shaped to fit the drum better than aftermarket shoes? >> >> If so, would one be wise to install these spacers when installing new >> shoes and hardware? >> >> AFAIK, my braking system is working right. But, I notice that with >> foot on brake engine running, I pull up the handbrake and feel the >> pedal drop a *little*. Is this because the lower portion of shoe is >> pushed out to contact drum? >> >> Curious minds just need to know, >> >> Neil. >> >> -- >> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco" >> >> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/ >> >> >> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines >> >

-- Sent from my mobile device

Chris S. Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur"


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