Date:         Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:47:19 -0700
Reply-To:     Shawn Wright <vwdiesels@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Shawn Wright <vwdiesels@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Neils Brakes: "What Me Worry?" (WAS: pedal feel)
In-Reply-To:  <c4e7c5f91003241535r55eee9a1jaa7552f43e291140@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 3:35 PM, neil n <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all.
>
> #1. THANKS!  #2. I worry too much.  #3  I'm too fussy (but I don'
> think it's possible to be too fussy with brakes)
>
> What I did: Morning, engine off, holding steering wheel, pushed pedal
> real hard. Pedal was rock hard. Travel: ~ 1/2 way no sinking. Pumped
> few times, checked, same
>
> Bled brake switches**. Started engine, felt same as yesterday.
>
> Detail: my pedal height increases slightly and stays up unless left
> idle for a while.
>
>
Neil,

I've followed this thread with great interest, as your issue sounds very
similar to mine - decent braking performance, but pedal travel that is
longer than it should be, which improves when pumping the pedal 1-2 times. I
also have the 'sinking' pedal feeling when holding under heavy pressure. One
difference I can think of is that my 'pedal travel' issue is more frequent,
ie: pumping the pedal to reduce travel is required after a only short period
of driving without using the brakes. Calipers are new rebuilt units, but
wheel cylinders have 120k on them, as do drums. (both were new at the dealer
from PO, but this was ~15 years ago... yes, only 120k in 15 years!) I
believe Dennis H. told me at one point that some non-oem wheel cylinders
lack the proper springs to reduce piston creep (to offset the springs on the
shoes), but since mine are from the dealer, I assumed I had good oem units.
Maybe not. Time for new ones I suppose, even if they appear ok.

The van's currently dashless as I replace the blower fan, but I will pay
some attention to the brakes once I get it back on the road. Thanks for all
the interesting posts on this topic, as it reminded me that I need to check
the brakes before the next road trip!