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73kombi
Banned
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 1215
Location: ~The London Bridge, AZ~
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 Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 11:41 am Post subject: E brake cables and the art of swearing |
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Ok, I have a '73 bus and I live in the mountains.......(9500ft elevation, up
and down hills all day).......so I have decided to fix my E brake! 
The cables are friggin' rusted in the tubes and wont budge....... 
I even pulled on one cable with a cum~along and it snapped the cable in
it's housing. 
A) So I'm wondering if anyone else has run into
this, and what might be the solution?
B) do they sell new tubes?
C) can I use some magic potion rust disolver? or......
D) do I keep the door unlocked
ready to bail at the most unlikely failing moment?
peace
p.s. yes the rear brakes kinda work, but I'm glad I have discs up front!  |
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Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
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| Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 8:34 am Post subject: |
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| most likely the cable is fused to the flexible tube, but no fused to the rigid tubes that are part of the car frame. the flexible tubes are part of the new cables that you buy. |
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jtauxe 
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004
Posts: 5780
Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico
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| Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:53 am Post subject: |
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Be sure to disconnect the cable from the mechanism at the other end.
Just kidding -- I know you'd figured that out. 
_________________
John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD
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Adventurewagen
Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2003
Posts: 1583
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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Propane torch.
Don't blow yourself up.
_________________
63 Gulf Blue Notch
71 Sierra Yellow Adventurewagen |
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73kombi
Banned
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 1215
Location: ~The London Bridge, AZ~
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| Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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I have new cables here, and judging by the length of the broken
off piece, it's definetly fused/rusted/stuck inside the metal tube.
I haven't tried heating the tubes yet......but that might be the next
move (I have a MAP gas torch). I just can't imagine rust having the
power to both break the cable and stick it to the side of the tube.
My Bessie is mostly rust-free topside, and not too fugly underneath.
peace |
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Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
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| Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:05 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
I just can't imagine rust having the
power to both break the cable and stick it to the side of the tube. |
it doesnt stick it to the tube, it blows up to a bigger volume, and gets jammed. when iron is converted to iron oxide it takes up a larger volume. this is why bolts wont come loose when rusted- it aint cuz of the rough surface of the threads. |
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dwill49965
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2005
Posts: 1396
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:18 am Post subject: |
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When you buy replacement cables, I wouldn't recommend getting them from CIP1.com. I believe they were brand name SK (out of Spain). While the overall length of the e-brake cable was the same as the original German ones, the threaded portion where the adjustment is made was much smaller, only about half as much.
I had bought new ones thinking my originals were stretched, but the comparison showed not. So I read the Samba threads on rear brake adjustments, and adjusted my rear brakes properly. Voila, I was able to properly adjust my e-brake cables using the original German ones.
_________________
Darryl
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'78 Westy, Boston Bob built 2.0 L, FI, MSD 6A
| Meyer wrote: |
| Lastly, you just referred to US citizens as 'Americans'. Exactly what kind of Canadian are you? From what continent? |
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73kombi
Banned
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 1215
Location: ~The London Bridge, AZ~
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| Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:22 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| it doesnt stick it to the tube, it blows up to a bigger volume, and gets jammed. when iron is converted to iron oxide it takes up a larger volume. this is why bolts wont come loose when rusted- it aint cuz of the rough surface of the threads. |
So from what you are saying, the whole tube is just solid rust inside?
I haven't really considered that option yet, as Bessie's bottom side is pretty
clean, and rust-free.......but that would explain the situaution.
| Quote: |
| While the overall length of the e-brake cable was the same as the original German ones, the threaded portion where the adjustment is made was much smaller, only about half as much. |
The cables I have are from IKS.......not sure if they are CIP1 or not, as they were in the bus when I got it. But they have over 2 inches of threaded adjustment, hopefully thats enough.
So......any magic potion that might disolve a tube full of iron oxide?
peace |
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dwill49965
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2005
Posts: 1396
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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The new cables that I bought are IKS as well. Here's a pic of the cable thread areas for comparison. The IKS (on top) thread length measured 1 3/4", the German original (bottom) was 2 3/4", which I found to be quite a difference. I was lucky that I could reuse my originals. Good luck with extracting yours.
_________________
Darryl
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'78 Westy, Boston Bob built 2.0 L, FI, MSD 6A
| Meyer wrote: |
| Lastly, you just referred to US citizens as 'Americans'. Exactly what kind of Canadian are you? From what continent? |
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73kombi
Banned
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 1215
Location: ~The London Bridge, AZ~
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| Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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OK, so today was the day.......thanks Samba for all the advice.
the solution: I consulted my girlfriend, the chemist, prior to the rust removal, and she said hydrochrorlic(sp) acid will eat rust (and steel), and so will vinegar (better with sodium chroride added), so I pulled her up on a hill and filled the tube with vinegar and salt......it set for a while and eventually broke the rust loose. !!! only one tube was really bad, so I then flushed it out with baking soda, and then some oil. The bad rusted spot was towards the rear......right by the housing part. Kind of odd, because the Bus is pretty much rust free.....(I think it got filled with water, and set for a while).
After putting on the new shoes, new cylinders, and new cables, Bessie now can stay put! all on her own!!!!!! I realise now that next time I will need new Drums (as they cant be turned again, or this time, for that matter).
peace,
and thank you Samba.......it's nice to have a place to get first hand (free) advice on such a fun (and legal) hobby!
and sometimes it's nice to have a GF that knows more than I do, (about her master's degree in CHEM) get a job.........
and in closing......I was freakin' filthy after rollin' arround in the dirt doing this job..... |
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germansupplyscott
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2004
Posts: 7093
Location: toronto
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| Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:14 am Post subject: |
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| dwill49965 wrote: |
| The new cables that I bought are IKS as well. Here's a pic of the cable thread areas for comparison. The IKS (on top) thread length measured 1 3/4", the German original (bottom) was 2 3/4", which I found to be quite a difference. |
the cables you want are made by GEMO in Germany.
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SL |
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