Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:47:49 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: brake shoe bottom spacer
In-Reply-To: <B56CAC53-6839-4DC6-BED6-5D358420CD06@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
here's what I do to adjust ..
it's done by turning that star wheel on the parking brake lever of course.
Eyeball the threads carefully so you know which way to turn it to
lengthen the bar.
I start out with that bar adjusted very, very short.
then I get it in place...
then I lengthen it until the shoes are starting to get where they belong.
then I test fit the drum over the shoes..
take the drum back off, lengthen the bar longer..
test fit drum again ..
and just keep doing that until the drum just fits over.
jiggle the shoes into place some.
When you get it so the drum just fits over..
leave it on, and yank on the parking brake handle..
that jiggles the shoes into place better..
and you can get a few more clicks lenthening the bar.
Evenutally you'll have it so the shoes are well seated into place.
the drum turns with slight even dragging ..
and yanking the parking brake doesn't make the shoes jiggle into place
any better.
this won't work if there is a lip on the drum.
In all cases ..
make SURE someone did not tighten the parking brake cable adjustment in
the middle of the van ...
sometimes people will 'adjust the rear brakes' by tightening that cable
adjustment.
That is never the right way to do it.
Since god invented VW's in the early 50's ..
it has always been ..
make sure parking brake cable is loose enough and out of the picture
really ..
get rear drums and shoes exactly right, THEN adjust parking brake cable
appropriately as a last step.
do it like this, and it'll be perfect.
drum shouldn't be out of round, obviously.
( I've had some that weren't very round, and also that a machine shop
just could not seem to be able to turn so there were really pretty true
and round. )
Scott
turbovans
On 3/19/2012 8:03 AM, Finn Runyon wrote:
> Sorry, I failed to ask about adjustment once the spacers are installed? The Bently shows a specific value that the shoes are to be adjusted out to. I would imagine that figure changes since the lower portion of the shoes will be spaced out further as a result of this enhancement. Is the bottom of the slot worn in the pin from 20+ years and several thousand miles of breaking and that is what one is adjusting for, or is this simply an improvement from VW's original design?
> Thanks,
> Finn
> On Mar 19, 2012, at 8:54 AM, Finn Runyon wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>> I think I see what you mean. So the slotted pin slides into the casting which is bolted into the backing plate. The pins appear to be frozen in the casting at this point. Are the pins keyed in any way so that they don't turn, or are they designed to turn? Just wondering if they pull straight out or can I work them out by truing to turn them. I was able to find 9/16 x 1 x 14 gauge machine bushings. I hope the extra 1/16 in OD doesn't interfere?
>> Best,
>> Finn
>> On Mar 19, 2012, at 7:30 AM, mark drillock wrote:
>>
>>> The lower end of each brake shoe rests inside a slot in a metal pin. The pins are inserted into a metal support that is part of the backing plate. The pins need to come out so a spacer can be fit between the pins and the support hole for the pins.
>>>
>>> The slotted pins can stuck in place by corrosion. I would make sure to free all 4 pins before adding any spacers. This may involve a bit of a struggle.
>>>
>>> Mark
>>>
>>>
>>> Finn Runyon wrote:
>>>> Thanks for this thread as I have my rears torn apart at the moment and too are trying to figure out where this spacer goes. Mark, Neil or Dennis can you be more specific? Logically is seems that a spacer that positioned the bottom of the shoes outward a tad would increase the contact area. Please advise.
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Finn
>>>> 87& 98 Westys
>>>> On Mar 19, 2012, at 12:55 AM, neil n wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Ok.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'll plead ignorant to all this. It's been a while since I've pulled the
>>>>> rears apart but.....
>>>>>
>>>>> Does that spacer go between backing plate or shoe at pin in centre of shoe,
>>>>> or somehow (can't imagine) at end of shoe at anchor?
>>>>>
>>>>> My gut tells me it goes between the latter to bring bottom "curve" of shoe
>>>>> out more so it contacts drum better but...
>>>>>
>>>>> He says, after a few beers in Miami,
>>>>>
>>>>> Neil.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 10:47 AM, mark drillock<mdrillock@cox.net> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I use these. I use ONE per bottom end of each shoe, under the pin.
>>>>>> My local TruValu hardware store sells them individually as well.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://www.menards.com/main/**tools-hardware/fasteners/**
>>>>>> miscellaneous/bushings/9-16-x-**15-16-x-14-gauge-machine-**
>>>>>> bushings-20-pcs-box/p-1652611.**htm<http://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardware/fasteners/miscellaneous/bushings/9-16-x-15-16-x-14-gauge-machine-bushings-20-pcs-box/p-1652611.htm>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Mark
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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