TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Nov 21, 2008 7:57 am

Hi everybody.

When I hit the brakes on my bug, I seem to get a knocking noise from the rear brake on the drivers side. It is intermittent. Also, I did a brake adjustment and it stopped doing it for a few weeks. Now its back. I can also feel a slight pulsating in the brake pedal when it happens.
What do you guys think? Drums out of round?
Thanks in advance.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:16 am

possibly... are you losing any fluid?

Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:22 am

its not losing any fluid.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:08 am

Take the rear brakes apart and see if any of the hardware has come loose or broken. I had a nail/spring assembly that holds the shoes to the backing plate rust through and cause problems.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:49 am

Quote: Take the rear brakes apart and see if any of the hardware has come loose or broken. I had a nail/spring assembly that holds the shoes to the backing plate rust through and cause problems.

I would do this for sure. Brakes are not a good idea to ignore. Always take off the drum and look, sometimes what you find will surprise you.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:36 pm

Have a brake hardware kit on hand when you open it up - they are cheap and it will minimize your downtime.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:55 pm

andk5591 wrote: Have a brake hardware kit on hand when you open it up - they are cheap and it will minimize your downtime.

X2. Usually under $20 and one kit will do both rear drums. Depending on the age of your hardware and your shoes, you may want to do a brake job, or at minimum replace all the hardware, if you have the rear drums off.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 4:58 pm

Ya know - as you go, you start accumulating a "stash" of stock parts for yours and unexpected repais on friends cars. Since I have a big project in the works, I have a LOT more than below, but you kind of need to at least have the following on hand.

1/2 dozen valve cover gaskets and at least one set of used valve covers and bales (painted and ready to install)
At least 1/2 dozen oil change gasket kits
3 or 4 fuel filters and oil filters
Oil drain plate
Pretty much a complete gasket set
1 or 2 adjustable pushrod tubes.
front and rear brake hardware kits
6' braided fuel line
3' brake line
metal brake line kit.
Rear bearing seal kit (if you have any swing axle cars)

I have a LOT more stuff now, and I didn't have even this when I got started, but seems like a nice basic parts stash.

Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:25 pm

i can agree with that i now have a large shed full of vw parts some used some new way to much to list. i just keep picking stuff up every chance i get.