TheSamba.com :: View topic - next problem, lost the brake reservoir cap, dam it

Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:04 pm

Hello again. After doing the rear cylinders I think I put the cap on the rain gutter. Its probably on the side of the road now. Does anyone sell just the cap. 1971 power brake reservoir I think. The cap is about the same size as the quart size brake fluid bottle cause thats what I have screwed on loosly.

Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:50 pm

OOOOOKKKKKK your gonna love this. First does anyone know what a 211 611 309R reservoir fits? Secondly does anyone know that a black reservoir cap fits a quart sized brake fluid bottle? I just won the dipwad of the year award, guess where the cap was!!!!! Hell I just went out to read off the numbers and post them here so I could get the replacement cap.
Annyyyy way I would like to possably relocate the reservoir to something better than having rubber hose run through the wheel well and up through the sheetmetal behind the seat.

Wed Jul 02, 2008 8:55 pm

Sounds like you have a 1968-70 MC. You will need to upgrade to the 1971-79 MC.
Check the type2.com library for the dual MC article there.

Wed Jul 02, 2008 9:04 pm

a 68 to 70 mc fits on a vacuum booster? I got power brakes.

Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:57 pm

quartermilecamel wrote: a 68 to 70 mc fits on a vacuum booster? I got power brakes.
Yes, it will fit on the servo. To determine if you have a 68-70 master, measure the distance between the center of the ports on the top where the reservoir mounts. 100 mm between the ports is 68-70, 85 mm is 71 and up.

Regardless, since you obviously have a remote fill reservoir, be careful of what kind of rubber hose you use to connect the 2. Some rubber definitely does NOT like brake fluid. VW originally used a very tough plastic/vinyl tubing of some sort.

Do you have disk brakes? Or why do you have a vacuum booster?

Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:26 pm

because I like the ease of stopping or shall we say....less pedal pressure to do the same job. Yes I have drum all the way around.
yes I would love disc up front but thats too pricey right now. I do have the disc brake spindles off of a 71 or so bus but dont have rotors or calipers that will work. I dont remember what year I ordered the master cylinder for. The conversion does what I wanted it to do. less leg pressure. Yeah that was my next issue to is I just used heater hose to hook up the reservoir and that isnt the greatest thing ......I was thinkin about using the nylon hose at lowes.

Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:36 pm

My brakes were good when I rolled into another truck in a taco bell drivethrough. I had my foot on the pedal hard enough so I thought....nope. the bus was rolling forward and tapped a truck. Didnt do anythng but I didnt like that. That was when I decided to get power brakes. What I did notice was driving it in town yields less effort where as before, stopping was all "me" the harder I push the more I stop....you know, the usuall manual braking system. Before the conversion, the pedal was solid, so it wasnt like my brakes just needed work.

Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:09 am

quartermilecamel wrote:
Annyyyy way I would like to possably relocate the reservoir to something better than having rubber hose run through the wheel well and up through the sheetmetal behind the seat.

Ewww, a Bay Window...

Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:03 am

Ok hows this one......its easier to drive. And if I even want the wife to drive it.........power brakes........shes 30 years old........now factor in the fact that she has the strength of my grandma. you dont want your 90 year old grandma driving your bus she would drive it now, I know she wouldnt drive it with the old brake system. and yes I did seem to notice at a side glance around the corner off the sears tower.......as per a kombisutra post.....something about a 1776 Hydraulic engine pushing the air port kombi flawlessly down the freeway...I could also say why the need for a bigger engine with hydraulic lifters hhehehe.
In 1962 or 63 or was it 64 they updated the brakes hmmm seems they were going somewhere with this.
Yeah I know bay window, some people love em. I just want to stop the quickes fastest possable to make it easy on me to keep my pride and joy safe. Im sure every split bus driver on earth knows how stiff the pedal is with manual brakes. In town driving was slightly annoying for me. another reason to get the update.
Final note If only I could have the resources to actually go on soooo many bus resurections like the 57 dd drive out oh boy. One thing that does go un noticed issssssss. a 1600 dual port engine issss a bay window item too heheheh Ok Im getting way off topic again zipping it

Thu Jul 03, 2008 5:35 am

not having my significant other want to drive my buses would be fine with me :lol:

Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:53 am

quartermilecamel wrote: My brakes were good when I rolled into another truck in a taco bell drivethrough. I had my foot on the pedal hard enough so I thought....nope. the bus was rolling forward and tapped a truck. Didnt do anythng but I didnt like that. That was when I decided to get power brakes. What I did notice was driving it in town yields less effort where as before, stopping was all "me" the harder I push the more I stop....you know, the usuall manual braking system. Before the conversion, the pedal was solid, so it wasnt like my brakes just needed work.

Sounds like a serious issue with your brakes or a seriously weak leg!?! :?

Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:30 am

pyrOman wrote: quartermilecamel wrote: My brakes were good when I rolled into another truck in a taco bell drivethrough. I had my foot on the pedal hard enough so I thought....nope. the bus was rolling forward and tapped a truck. Didnt do anythng but I didnt like that. That was when I decided to get power brakes. What I did notice was driving it in town yields less effort where as before, stopping was all "me" the harder I push the more I stop....you know, the usuall manual braking system. Before the conversion, the pedal was solid, so it wasnt like my brakes just needed work.

Sounds like a serious issue with your brakes or a seriously weak leg!?! :?

Or in need of adjustment.

Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:54 am

pyrOman wrote: quartermilecamel wrote: My brakes were good when I rolled into another truck in a taco bell drivethrough. I had my foot on the pedal hard enough so I thought....nope. the bus was rolling forward and tapped a truck. Didnt do anythng but I didnt like that. That was when I decided to get power brakes. What I did notice was driving it in town yields less effort where as before, stopping was all "me" the harder I push the more I stop....you know, the usuall manual braking system. Before the conversion, the pedal was solid, so it wasnt like my brakes just needed work.

Sounds like a serious issue with your brakes or a seriously weak leg!?! :?

pyro and i both know a 54 yr old 112 lb female that has no problem driving or braking a 66 or 67 bus with stock brakes.

Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:16 pm

My lil' lady can manage the stock brakes on mine just fine...Dual circuit conversion, 71-79 MC.
Cake and Pie.

Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:02 pm

Well Im not loosing anymore brake fluid now so thats good. Brake adjustment needed? Well how often do you adjust the brakes if you drive it every day? 10 miles a day in town? Or better yet, how much pedal travel should I have after a properly adjusted brake system. Then again I do have the booster so that might change the pedal travel versus manual brakes too.

Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:19 pm

brake adjustment as follows.....adjust star until it doesnt turn then back if off 2 clicks on each star. the only thing I should do is turn the drums or replace them cause the rear drums came with the bus and it sat since 1989 and I found it in 1995. Front drums I think came with the beam. I do wonder if I can still use my front drums from my 64 beam on the 68 69 beam. I know the seals are different. I know I tried to and gave up cause the seals wouldnt go over the 69 spindles. I still have the 64 drums but maybe I could get seals that would work. Pondering all this cause I do need to get drums with a good smooth surface....this bus sat again for at least 3 years when I had it so yes the drums have had rust issues. Warped drums that sat for a while gotta be hard on shoes