Brake adjustment misery

TOURJEE · Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 4:51 pm Post subject:

I found the thread I was looking for:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=357874&highlight=frozen+stars

This won;t help you with your problem though? I thought your stars were frozen?

GeorgeO. · Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 6:06 pm Post subject: Pull the drums

When I started my project, I'm sure there was a Brown Recluse as well as a couple of Black Widows in all the spider webs I encountered. One of the first things I had to do is pull the rear drums, since sitting for 17 years, I needed to check the wheel cylinders and the condition of the drums. I replaced everything including the rubber hoses. So far its running, stopping and once I replace the rear bearings I start the interior next.

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RatCamper · Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 7:55 pm Post subject:

Last time I took the stone guard off the front there was a redback nest. Every time I go near the wheels there are either redbacks or whitetails.
I'd take redbacks any day. Although for some reason the officials won't acknowledge one of the worst things about white tail bites. It causes a slow steady dissolving of the flesh. Lots of people have had this happen. Even my mother has. Big chunk of her leg just sort of eaten away inside. Awful things.

Thanks for the advice, busdaddy. What do I do about the threaded bit being seized though? I got the stars going.
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Vehicle: 1975 Special order delivery walkthrough panel based pop-top camper (LCA / Sunliner). Motor: Nippon 1.8L Single port Wasserboxer, Transmission: 3 rib 002.

busdaddy · Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 8:55 pm Post subject:

Pull the star out and heat it up with the propane torch, then stick someting flat through the slot in the threaded part and twist (star still in the vice grips of course). Or clamp the end of the threaded part in a vice and twist the star, iy may only move a hair to begin with, lots of penetrating oil and heat and repeat as necessary.
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Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

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RatCamper · Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 9:33 pm Post subject:

Sounds like a plan. Give it a shot tomorrow I hope. Today I think I'll just give it another spray and a few test taps.
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Vehicle: 1975 Special order delivery walkthrough panel based pop-top camper (LCA / Sunliner). Motor: Nippon 1.8L Single port Wasserboxer, Transmission: 3 rib 002.

RatCamper · Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 12:15 am Post subject:

Tried again. Still no go. I'll have to dismantle and attack the adjustor on its own. I'm more than a little curious as to why it is seized because it looks pretty good.
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Vehicle: 1975 Special order delivery walkthrough panel based pop-top camper (LCA / Sunliner). Motor: Nippon 1.8L Single port Wasserboxer, Transmission: 3 rib 002.

onion456 · Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 2:29 pm Post subject:

oh man, i wish i had seen this thread sooner.

use a big flathead screwdriver and unscrew the adjusters from the stars. go the the hardware store and buy some long-ish bolts the same thread size... thread em into your stars until they bottom out, and then keep going- they will push your stars right out.

clean up the star body on the belt sander, use moly grease when reinstalling... they will spin like new!
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'76 Sage Green Westy 2.0 FI
'76 Creamsicle 7-passenger 2.0 CS FI
'85 Tan Westy

VDubTech · Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 3:11 pm Post subject:

busdaddy · Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 3:17 pm Post subject:

ccpalmer · Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 3:28 pm Post subject:

onion456 · Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 6:13 pm Post subject:

lol, i have a small hobby belt sander, made by dremel, that is perfect for small jobs like this.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
'76 Sage Green Westy 2.0 FI
'76 Creamsicle 7-passenger 2.0 CS FI
'85 Tan Westy

RatCamper · Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 4:06 pm Post subject:

So I unhooked the shoes, totally forgetting about the handbrake cable of course. Then just decided to leave it all sort of there because the adjusters were cleared and that was my goal anyway.

Took out the frozen one, gave it a wipe off and cleaned the congealed brake dust out of the threads. I have absolutely no idea why the adjuster thread is frozen. I was expecting to see a rusty horrible mess behind the star. No such thing. It's shiny in there. I suppose the next step is to pull out the propane torch and hope that it still has gas. Once that runs out I can't refill it Sad

Stupid Australia.
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Vehicle: 1975 Special order delivery walkthrough panel based pop-top camper (LCA / Sunliner). Motor: Nippon 1.8L Single port Wasserboxer, Transmission: 3 rib 002.

VDubTech · Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 4:18 pm Post subject:

You don't need heat. You need vice grips and a big ass flat head screwdriver. Hold the star with the vice grips, turn the big ass flathead sideways and turn the adjuster out of the star. Like I said originally, this is a 5 minute job.
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RatCamper · Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 4:59 pm Post subject:

RatCamper · Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 7:23 pm Post subject:

That worked a treat. I slapped that side back together for now. When I get some time I'll adjust the brakes and do the other side.

After that I'll have to see if I have the huge socket for the castle nut or not. Have to find out why those bearings are loose.
_________________
Vehicle: 1975 Special order delivery walkthrough panel based pop-top camper (LCA / Sunliner). Motor: Nippon 1.8L Single port Wasserboxer, Transmission: 3 rib 002.

RatCamper · Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 1:01 am Post subject:

I got through my brain fart and went on to get the rest of the first side, and all of the second side done promptly.

There's essentially no free play in the pedal now with the engine off. Hard from the top. Next up the hand brake.

What is worrying me is it was apparent that the shoes were sorely overdue for adjustment. That means that currently they are sitting differently and the adjustment will probably change after a few good hard braking sessions. When they do the lateral force test or whatever it is on the brakes that could cause an issue. Pretty much they get up to a certain speed and hit the anchors while they have a special machine on board with accelerometers etc. I have also seen one with a pedal pressure sensor. Depending the either generate a sheet of figures or a graph. If it isn't so hot it fails inspection.
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Vehicle: 1975 Special order delivery walkthrough panel based pop-top camper (LCA / Sunliner). Motor: Nippon 1.8L Single port Wasserboxer, Transmission: 3 rib 002.

Stuartzickefoose · Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 6:30 am Post subject:

i may be wrong on this, but have heard, and done, this to avoid the whole "reset by hard braking" thing. get the drums on, wheels up off the ground, and adjust each adjuster until its tight, then keep adjusting it till you cant turn the star anymore, then go step on the brakes a few times firmly. then back the star off, and as soon as the wheel spins freely, set it so it JUST touches the drum lining. then repeat on each star.

anyone else want to tell my im wrong? i was curious about it anyways....id love to be told its done a different way.... Laughing

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MINE - 1978 Westfalia ~ Maisy ~ FI, Hydraulic Valves, Electronic Points, 2.0 (NEED A SET OF HEADS, PM ME IF YOU HAVE A SET)

DAD's - 1972 Westfalia ~ Sticky ~ 1.7(?) 914 motor, allison electronic ignition, electric fuel pump, dual webers w/o choke.

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RatCamper · Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 1:53 pm Post subject:

Stuartzickefoose · Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 2:52 pm Post subject:

RatCamper · Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 3:52 pm Post subject:

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