Cutting brakes

[Arnold458]

I need help guys. I put a new master cylinder and brake lines on my sand rail. I only have disc brakes on back. I have great pressure on the right cutting brake but my left one none. I have fluid going back to the caliper. Tried bleeding it both by the foot peddal and the steering brake and same result. Left cutting brake no pressure. When i push on the brake peddal the steering brake pressures up. When i pull on the steering brake it pushes back on the foot pedal Let off pedal and steering brake has no pressure while the right never loses pressure. Is my steering brake bad? No leakes anywhere. Fluid dont shoot out when bleeding it just dribiles.

[dustymojave]

Sounds like you have a bad turning brake.

I just recently rebuilt one for a friend who was having the same issue. Several others had worked on the car with no success. I got a rebuild kit for the turning brake and put it in. Bled fine (FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!) and then worked quite well after.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[Arnold458]

Thanks it was throwing me off cause the only time the cutting brake would pressure is when i pump the pedal and hold it. Pull on brake and would only put pressure back to the pedal. Let off pedal cutting brake no pressure. First i thought maybe air getting in between caliper and cutting brake. If airs getting in fluid would be getting out right? Rebuild kit much cheaper then brake alone. Thanks for the help.

[pullstart]

Though it sounds like you know how to bleed your brakes just fine, I found it helpful to lift the back of my buggy off the ground a couple feet with my engine hoist and leave the bleeders cracked overnight. It helped get most of the air out of the (mainly flat) system since the M/C is at the same level as the brake calipers.
_________________
4 seater Appletree buggy, road legal with 002 IRS, 3x3 Appletree kit, 6" over Dan's beam with 10" towers and Fox 2.0 shocks, '00 Subaru EJ25 with KEP stage 3 clutch and KEP adapter plate.

my build page: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=662104&start=0

[Arnold458]

Yeah at first i bled them like i would my truck. The right pressured before i even bled them. Then i thought with the cutting brake maybe im just doing it wrong so i look it up on cnc and did it exactly the way they said. Going to go ahead and by the bleed tool so maybe i wont have to hunt down one of my kids to help. Going to pull the cutting brake off tonight and see if its even worth rebuilding.

[nate3923]

I'm with dusty rebuild them

[Arnold458]

Sounds like a good plan. Thanks guys!

[pullstart]

I did it with just myself... wrapped a long 1" strap around the front beam and to the brake pedal. Pull the strap slowly from the back of the car and crack the bleeder.
_________________
4 seater Appletree buggy, road legal with 002 IRS, 3x3 Appletree kit, 6" over Dan's beam with 10" towers and Fox 2.0 shocks, '00 Subaru EJ25 with KEP stage 3 clutch and KEP adapter plate.

my build page: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=662104&start=0

[Arnold458]

Well i know where you get ur name from haha. What we will do to make things work. Make some people just shake there heads. I say if it works it works haha