Brakes pull to the left even after new wheel cylinders

bluecab

brakes pull to the left even after 2 new wheel cylinders and master cylinder.

I put new master cylinder and 2 new wheel cylinders in the right drum , adjusted both sides and it still pulls to the left, replaced hard brake pipe on the right and both front flexisis and still pulls, the only way i got it to stop pulling bad was to slacken the adjusters right off in the left hub and i even swapped hubs - brke shoes look good and clean!
This has got me puzzled, any help would be appreciated.
thanks
paul

Danwvw · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 1:33 pm Post subject:

It may be in the front but could also be in the back but if you drive it a bit on the gravel and do some stops you can figure out where it's braking the most. Do you know one thing that can sure do this is the flex brake line at the wheels. It can even cause a brake to not release.
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1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

bluecab · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 1:37 pm Post subject:

I think it may be worth be taking the rear hubs of and having a look at the wheel cylinders, I have replaced the front flexi pipes on both sides and think its going to be worth me doing the rears.
Thanks for the reply.

Danwvw · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 1:58 pm Post subject:

Lots of things can sure cause them to pull. But if the adjustment on the front is changing how they pull then the problem is likely up front! Even if the shoes on one wheel got grease or oil on them or a little brake fluid then that can cause pulling. Did you use a can of brake cleaner and a brush on the shoes and hubs? That may help remove oil. Then take it out and drive it a bit and see if they get better.
_________________
1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

bluecab · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 2:04 pm Post subject:

I cleaned the hubs and sprayed them with brake cleaner then cleaned them again, i even put another pair of brake shoes in that i had handy ( cleaned again), both front flexis pipes are new and the master cylinder, going to have another look tomorrow and check the rears.
thanks again

Campy · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 2:23 pm Post subject:

This would cause trouble down the road: you should never replace the wheel cylinders on only one side; all four should have been replaced.
What happens when only one to three wheel cylinders are replaced is that the new ones make a better seal than the old one(s), which puts more hydraulic pressure on the old one(s), causing them to leak after a while. Also, the shoes may now be being pressed out with more force with the new wheel cylinders than the shoes on the other side, causing it to pull to that side.
Was the drum checked for roundness?
_________________
Don't worry; be happy. (Baba)

bluecab · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 2:27 pm Post subject:

ok looks like i will be goin right through the brakes, the hubs looked fine - i swapped them round and it still pulled to the left.
thanks

BarryL · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 6:44 pm Post subject:

When you bleed the fronts does the amount that squirts out and the force seem equal? Is it a single circuit or piggyback master?

bluecab · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 12:47 pm Post subject:

single master cylinder and yes same amount out of each one.

bus guy · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 12:51 pm Post subject:

Shoes can be contaminated and look fine. Try swapping the shoes side to side. Happened to me once, swapped round and it pulled the other way.

bluecab · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 12:54 pm Post subject:

put new shoes in today, loosened off the adjusters put the hub on and pumped the pedal 150 times to get the wheel cylinders moving! Im goin to take it to a mot test centre and put it on a rolling brake tester, its not pulling as bad but its still there.

Campy · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 5:11 pm Post subject:

You will regret it if you do not replace the used wheel cylinders on the other side.
_________________
Don't worry; be happy. (Baba)

kombisutra · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 5:52 pm Post subject:

Interesting. Never met an early set of brakes I couldn't get 100% comprehension and compliance from. In my experience, your work seems sound but not complete, as I wouldn't perform 50% of the job by rebuilding only the fronts and completely skipping service to the rears. My bet is you have either a collapsed line in the rear, or a leaky cylinder back there... or both.

Regardless of what you performed, my procedures have me heavily "burn" shoes to drums all the way around (visual smoke). Then I re-adjust the shoes, and heavily "burn" em' to the drums again. In my experience, pulling has almost always meant a leaking cylinder -front or rear- the aggressive burning ensures positive shoe seating, and - to all except the deaf of ass- communicates exactly what is -or isn't- happening at all four corners of the bus.

novetti · Samba Member Joined: August 15, 2004 Posts: 469

If not replacing the rear ones, I would at least part them up, clean everything, hone the barrels with a brake stone brush, relube with brake paste/vaseline the end of travel barrel section and put it all together.

A tiny rust spot in the front section of the barrel that is not soaked permanently in brake fluid can block cylinder/seal travel along the whole travel.

I had a front brake with that issue who took me months to find out after replacing everything. The cylinder would travel when brake was applied, but not as smooth and effectively as the other side causing the pull.

bluecab · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:23 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the replies


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