Date:         Wed, 31 Aug 2022 19:15:56 +0000
Reply-To:     Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Adjusting Parking/Emergency Brake
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

I am getting ready for a 2,500 mile Vanagon trek from San Diego to Northern Oregon and back.  (Tintop, '85, manual, stock brakes, 292K miles). My parking brake seems to need adjustment.  Crawling under, of course I see the yoke with a solid rod from parking brake lever, and then diverges to two solid rods which go to rear drum brakes.  Yes....I see adjusting nut and threads....they are all rust free.  I investigated The Samba.  But am still unclear.  Do I just move the adjusting nut a few threads?  Or does the "magic" happen inside of the Rear brake drums?  I am scheduled to do all 4 wheel brake job with new everything (but keeping everything stock, no Big Brake stuff); my mechanic (even though he has all the parts in boxes in his shop) has been under the weather lately and rebuild might be a few months away; of course he would do a premier install and adjustment of all components in system.  But in the meantime, I'd like to get things adjusted properly; as it is, it takes a full 4 clicks on lever to make things happen, and they don't feel that strong (will avoid parking in San Francisco)...just barely works on a slope of any degree.