Date: Sat, 11 May 2013 18:46:47 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Causes of Brake Pull at Highway Speeds? (and some trip pics)
In-Reply-To: <CAB2RwfjLpJDrb-Vf=OcvQ8TZK7HKBFmsJ_R2H-uWZ8_vtHWa0Q@mail.gmail.com>
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Did the alignment shop adjust the Castor? Did they give you a before and
after report? Many don't know how. The rear would have to be way out for you
to feel it move under braking. I would go back and check the rear brakes.
You want to pull the drums and look at the contact pattern on the shoes.
Since VW is no longer supplying OEM shoes I have yet to find an aftermarket
set that uses the correct material and thickness for the linings. This
combined with oversized (worn or cut) drums makes for a very poor contact
pattern on the shoes providing very poor brake operation. I usually add 3 to
4 mm shims under the lower shoe rests to compensate. This helps a lot. The
correct shoes have riveted linings that are 6mm above the rivet heads.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: neil n [mailto:musomuso@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 11, 2013 1:50 PM
To: Dennis Haynes
Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
Subject: Re: Causes of Brake Pull at Highway Speeds? (and some trip pics)
Hi Dennis.
An alignment was done after the radius arm hole repair and another alignment
done after replacing the upper control arm bushings etc.
Something I neglected to include. Under brake lock up conditions, there's an
*extremely slight* tendency for the rear to move to the side. But that could
be the road I was testing on.
Since I hadn't driven the van in a year, wonder if the pull was always there
and I"m now just seeing it? Or, maybe the last alignment job wasn't that
good and the new tires (soft winter tread compound) are now bringing a poor
camber adjustment to light?
It's always something with these things. LOL.
Neil.
On Sat, May 11, 2013 at 5:52 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
wrote:
> Changes in direction while braking are either the result of varying
> friction from the brakes or tires or the alignment is changing under
> the braking load. If an upper ball joint or control arm has any paly
> in the direction of wheel rotation that needs to be fixed. The upper
> ball joint is so easy to replace just do it. This part can affect
> castor, camber, and toe. So step on the brakes and change all three angles
at one shot and wonder why it pulls!
>
> After that radius rod mount repair did you get the Castor aligned
properly?
> This is a problem for many. Of all the suspension angles this one is
> very important. Most pulls or wanders are an indication of a castor
> alignment problem.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of neil n
> Sent: Friday, May 10, 2013 1:40 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Causes of Brake Pull at Highway Speeds? (and some trip pics)
> At ~ 50-60 MPH, if I brake hard hands "off" the wheel, the van pulls
> to the right. Not severely but quite noticeably. Doesn't happen
> braking hard from ~
> 30 MPH. Like I almost have to make the nose dive for the pull to happen.
--
Neil n
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