TheSamba.com :: View topic - I got one shot at this-brakes

Mon May 21, 2012 2:25 pm

I am going to be taking the bus camping this weekend. I am pretty stoked about this . I have been waiting for almostr a year to do this. HOWEVER!!!! I need to assemble the Rear brakes and stuff. I only have one day to do this (fri) So i am trying to research as much as I can before I do this

1) Does anybody have a pic of what a 1973 vw rear brake looks like. Dont ask me why i can't mirror off the other side

2) Can you put the brakes on with the lug hub still on the axle? I don't have the tools to take it off.

Time is of the essence and I really would like to get here back on the road!

Mon May 21, 2012 2:45 pm

Everything you need to know will be right in your service manual. You do not need to remove the hub to put the rear brakes together. If you need some pics there are some in my resto thread in my signature from when I redid the rears on my '79. Your '73 will be almost identical.

Mon May 21, 2012 3:17 pm

Yeah that top spring can't be put in after the shoes are in. That much I do know. However the diff btw 78-79 and 73 is the mechanism for the emergency break, your shoes have a cut out on the shoes (on the top of the shoes), mine has a hole where only a pin goes through. I dont know how it goes in without gapping the rubber boots with the shoes, there HAS TO BE A TRICK TO THIS

I look though your page. It was a little helpful

Mon May 21, 2012 3:24 pm

Here's a pic of my 78 after I put in a new wheel cylinder. Like VDT said, it's going to be very similar.

Things to note:
- See the parking brake lever coming down off the aft part of the spreader bar.
- See the end of that spring barely visible, hooked to the shoe. There's that spring, and one more below, not visible in this pic.
- See the orientation of the spreader bar, there are thick parts ad thin parts.

Mon May 21, 2012 3:29 pm

Daverham wrote: Here's a pic of my 78 after I put in a new wheel cylinder. Like VDT said, it's going to be very similar.

Things to note:
- See the parking brake lever coming down off the aft part of the spreader bar.
- See the end of that spring barely visible, hooked to the shoe. There's that spring, and one more below, not visible in this pic.
- See the orientation of the spreader bar, there are thick parts ad thin parts.

Yeah, im so confused on how the emergency brake spreader bar work, mine is the opposite way (i think)

Mon May 21, 2012 3:30 pm

Mon May 21, 2012 3:33 pm

In my PHOTO, the spring plate and jack are toward the front of the bus. So that's the right side you're looking at.

In the drawing I posted (found in the images gallery), you are looking at the LEFT SIDE of that bus.

Wear gloves and use a hefty pair of needle nose pliers to get those springs hooked into place.

Mon May 21, 2012 3:35 pm

Daverham wrote:

Is what is on the bottom the 73 design???

Mon May 21, 2012 4:46 pm

Porschpow

The pic @ the bottom is 71/72 brake assembly.

Mon May 21, 2012 5:06 pm

My '73 looked like the top, just like my '79. The only thing that threw me was the replacement shoes had no parking brake lever and the ones on the bus were riveted on, had to grind off and reuse the lever with new pins/retainers.

Mon May 21, 2012 6:44 pm

Bus manufacture date is 8/72. So mine is the 71-72 display. So the setup from the emergency brake lever is different from the 73 and newer i guess. I can slip it on but to try to get the shoes onto the slots for the wheel cylinder and adjusters is impossible!!!

Mon May 21, 2012 6:54 pm

porschpow wrote: but to try to get the shoes onto the slots for the wheel cylinder and adjusters is impossible!!!
I'm confused as to why, orient the slots in the pistons slightly out at the bottom, assemble the shoes and spreader and leave the bottom spring off (if you must), wiggle that assembly over the hub (V shaped slot in hub is made for this) and insert the top of the rear shoe into the piston, then pry or pull the assembly forward and put the front shoe into it's slot. After that it's just a case of adding the lower spring and popping the lower ends of the shoes into the adjusters.

If you're worried about tearing the dust covers remove them and slip them on the shoes first, the install them after you've got the shoes seated in thier slots.

Mon May 21, 2012 7:00 pm

so slip the shoes on the wc piston, than the adjuster slot. than do the same for the front shoe???

Mon May 21, 2012 7:01 pm

Bus manufacture date is 8/72. So mine is the 71-72 display. So the setup from the emergency brake lever is different from the 73 and newer i guess. I can slip it on but to try to get the shoes onto the slots for the wheel cylinder and adjusters is impossible!!!

Mon May 21, 2012 7:16 pm

porschpow wrote: Bus manufacture date is 8/72. So mine is the 71-72 display.
A Bus manufactured 8/72 is a 1973 model year.

Mon May 21, 2012 7:20 pm

If you have the spreader bar on backwards, the thick and thin sides of the slot in it will be in the wrong places. This will keep the shoes from seating int he brake cylinder.

Look at the picture, and note that the side of the spreader bar that doesn't have the e-brake lever, has the THICK part of the spreader bar visible. The side of the spreader that does have the e-brake has the thin part visible, and it also engages the slot in the shoe.

Take a look at yours and see if it matches the picture.

Mon May 21, 2012 7:24 pm

if the bus is facing <------ than yes the orientation is on right

Mon May 21, 2012 7:31 pm

Porschpow.

can you post a pic of the linings on the backing plate

VWTech is right about the production vin#
and if you bought linings for a 73 then they should work without
any problem.

Pic in my gallery for 71-72 rear bus

Mon May 21, 2012 8:15 pm

I think it's obvious you have the wrong replacement linings(shoes)
and you should take them back.. and take 2 linings from 1 SIDE
with you to the store.

What is really important is your SAFETY in the longrun.

Mon May 21, 2012 8:33 pm

you can also install the top spring before you install the shoes. put them on as a pair and spread the shoes with the spring and fit it behind the hub that way, then install the easy spring on the bottom. took me less than an hour to do both hubs, and i replaced my wheel cylinders at the same time.