TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Aug 20, 2002 8:27 am

Thanks in advance for your input, I have posted a couple of questions on this board today and have always got a helpful response, you guys are great!
Now to my problem:
I have got a 1960 bus and just replaced all the wheel cylinders and shoes but not the master cylinder . The problem arrises after driving the bus for a while the break pedal has no play and the rear brakes are draging or stuck. They are not full on, but enought to generate some serious heat in a hurry. After allowing the bus to sit for a while all is fine again. So far I have adjusted the rear brakes and it seemed to work for a while but eventually the same thing happened.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Vito.

Tue Aug 20, 2002 9:33 am

Sounds like the free play for the master cylinder might be too small, you should be able to push the pedal a very small amount before you feel it contact the m/c.

I think the free play is about 1 inch but I don't have my shop manual here.

There is a small valve that gets blocked if the free play is too small so pressure builds up in the rear brakes.

Did you replace the rubber hoses too or are they pretty new? They might be collapsing too. Replace them if you haven't, I've never had a VW where at least one of the didn't need replacing. If 1 is bad, replace all of them.

Tue Aug 20, 2002 12:28 pm

I had the brakes done at a local VW shop. I assume the hoses are alright or he would have changed them . I will check them tonight and the free play.

Thanks for your input, Vito.

Tue Aug 20, 2002 4:10 pm

the rod to master cylinder freeplay should be about 1MM, NOT one inch. the best place to check this is under the bus, by manually operating the brake pedal from underneath.
does sound like poor clearance, but if the master cylinder wasn't changed, why the sudden problem (if freeplay is a factor).

Wed Aug 21, 2002 5:45 am

Vito,
Ive had this problem on 2 of my buses. It
turned out to be the rear rubber brake lines.
They may look fine,but with age the lines internally collapse thereby not allowing the brake fluid to flow back causing that drag feeling and HOT rear brakes. Problem is not unusual with old buses.