The Sticking Brake (won't release)

[cletus_zuber]

We all suspect what it is, the collapsed hose. The goal of this thread is to prove it.

Agenda was major maintenance, oil change, valves, trans fluid, brake fluid change, probably take me a week or more as I pace myself.

Oil change went well, considered not cleaning the screen since I have a filter (pump), but did it anyway, glad I did, replaced a questionable sump stud, no problem. Valve adjust, #4 exhaust a little tight, 004, adjusted it up no problem. Trans fluid, it is what it is, little messy but good to go now for 30k.

Spun the wheels around while up on blocks, tires off.. left side pretty free, adjustment is part of the agenda anyway, right side was TIGHT! would barely turn and you could tell the drum has been hot, been going on for awhile, looks like. Opening the bleeder freed it up...

Stay tuned as it may be a next week before I can do anything further...
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1972 1302
HPMX 40's & 019

[Cusser]

Bad flexible hose, bad wheel cylinder, or bad brake springs/hardware.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[Tim Donahoe]

My bet is on the hose.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[DeathTrap]

crack the bleeder and relieve the pressure

[videoguy009]

I had the same problem this week and it was the flex hose.Like he said crack the bleeder and if the wheel spins its your hose.
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1971 Super Beetle

[Tim Donahoe]

He already said he opened the bleeder and freed it up.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[awreed]

x3 on the flexible hose. Takes far less pressure to return brake fluid after taking your foot off the pedal- car will brake just fine, but doesn't release the shoes completely after taking your foot off the pedal.

[cletus_zuber]

just changed the hoses and cut them for cross section analysis. they look good. Brazil hoses probably replaced in the 90's when the PO restored the car. Still don't have a flare wrench but went ok as has my last 100 brake hose changes without one...
Drums off next...
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1972 1302
HPMX 40's & 019

[Cusser]

Set of metric flare wrenches pretty inexpensive at Harbor Freight, and I use them on other vehicles too. I just use them for initial loosening and final tightening.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[cletus_zuber]

Hose cross sections...

Can't believe I smuggled this onto an airplane a couple years ago!

Is one of the adjusters upside down?

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1972 1302
HPMX 40's & 019

[cletus_zuber]

Bad news is I have to go to "Discount Auto" import parts house. where i will be asked "what year?" when buying valve cover gaskets...

Where do you guys get replacement pads for the generic disc brakes kits with Varga or EMPI repop calipers? they have some EMPI brand in a bubble pack at discount, is there a better set at NAPA or wherever?
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1972 1302
HPMX 40's & 019

[Tim Donahoe]

Wolgang International sells them.

Not local for you, I guess.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[cletus_zuber]

Found the culprit and it wasn't the hoses. It was the wheel cylinders. I had 1 out of four pistons doing any work, the right side was totally froze up, a hammer and vice could barely move the pistons.

What happened is I adjusted the brakes tight as per DeathTrap posts lol and they never moved. also proved that the front discs do 99.9% of the braking.

I can't imagine the PO not replacing the cyls with everything else but you never know. picture of the cyl:

not sure of the markings but again I can't imagine it is German original.
Mushy pedal I attest is almost always never a bleeding problem, I let fluid drip as I was replacing hoses and cylinders, I did catch most of it because I am environmentally conscious well sort of

adjusted tight and have solid pedal now with just a gravity bleed to get the old fluid out.

Varga Brazil cylinders, "New" brand shoes, Hecho in China. Hey it is what it is, just be thankful somebody still makes parts for our cars..
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1972 1302
HPMX 40's & 019

[cletus_zuber]

Now to the fronts. Its disc brake, a kit I suppose the PO added at some point. The hoses were plain shut. I won't post any cross section pictures, nobody seems that interested...
Hoses had the same logo as the cylinders, I'm guessing original German ATE.

pushed the pads away from the rotors and the calipers (Varga) seem ok.

I'll replace the pads, is the EMPI bubble pack all that's available? what do 73 Ghia owners do?

And note to Cusser, a flare wrench would have done no good on these, they were already rounded off, had to use vice grips. will need to replace the metal lines too...
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1972 1302
HPMX 40's & 019

[Cusser]

[cletus_zuber]

still can't believe these are the only replacement pads available.
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1972 1302
HPMX 40's & 019

[Cusser]

[cletus_zuber]

Yeah I fixed all that in the rebuild, that was the side where the wheel cyl was totally froze up.

still can't believe it, car still braked great, can't wait to see how it does with all brakes actually working...
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1972 1302
HPMX 40's & 019

[Tim Donahoe]

Those Empi aren't the only one available.

As I mentioned before Wolfgang International sells the pads. From what I remember, they had a harder pad that prevented squeaking.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[cletus_zuber]

Thats all they have at my import parts house, The most aggravating store in history, Discount Import Auto.

Cross section of front hoses
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1972 1302
HPMX 40's & 019