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Rear Brake Backing Plate.
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kevinhinny
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PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2018 9:07 am    Post subject: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

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I just purchased two new backing plates for my vanagon rear brakes and it appears that the hole does not align with the adjuster making adjustments very difficult from the rear.

I am doing something wrong or what am I missing?

Thanks for your help.
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bobbyblack Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2018 9:19 am    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

Ugh, that looks sad. I am not much of an expert, but is the Bay or an early Vanagon backing different than a later one? Is it possible you got the part from a different version?

Welding that up and drilling a new one is about all I could imagine to "fix" it, but I just wouldn't. You can get it pretty close with the drum off, and it will self adjust if its all set up right.

Oh, and have a read of the radiusing of the shoe thread:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=670241

Hope it turns out well for you,

-bobby
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fxr
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PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2018 12:46 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

kevinhinny wrote:

I just purchased two new backing plates for my vanagon rear brakes and it appears that the hole does not align with the adjuster making adjustments very difficult from the rear.

I am doing something wrong or what am I missing?

Thanks for your help.

Once the springs are in and the shoes are splayed out to be nearly in contact with the drum, you'll find the hole is aligned 'just right'. Wink In your picture the shoes are 'squidged in' as far as they'll go, and the adjuster hasn't been spun out the ten or so turns it will need.
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82westyrabbit
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PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2018 2:28 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

The new backing plates I installed on my van were the same. I ajusted them before I install the new brake drums. I hope that does not haunt me later. I don’t think this would work with used unturned brake drums. I hope as the brake ware in the problem will fix it’s self.
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the joker
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2018 12:31 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

Old German Myth Idea , get them close, back up and apply the brake hard a few times, they magically self adjust .
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2018 1:29 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

the joker wrote:
Old German Myth Idea , get them close, back up and apply the brake hard a few times, they magically self adjust .


The myth is, "every time you apply the brakes in reverse, they self adjust". Not magically, but by design. It's not so magical but this requires everything in proper working order, like when the van was new. Which could become magical on a 30 year old van.

Has anybody ever tested if theirs is still working? You could mark it with a spot of white paint then loosen the adjuster a couple 'clicks' . Then "reverse & brake" a few times, see if the white spot returns. Or returns to the same adjustment that you "chose".
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calo1956
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2018 1:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

I also bought new backing plates, and had no issues adjusting them
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 7:28 am    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

Sodo wrote:
the joker wrote:
Old German Myth Idea , get them close, back up and apply the brake hard a few times, they magically self adjust .


The myth is, "every time you apply the brakes in reverse, they self adjust". Not magically, but by design. It's not so magical but this requires everything in proper working order, like when the van was new. Which could become magical on a 30 year old van.

Has anybody ever tested if theirs is still working? You could mark it with a spot of white paint then loosen the adjuster a couple 'clicks' . Then "reverse & brake" a few times, see if the white spot returns. Or returns to the same adjustment that you "chose".

What? Mine work great! There's very little backing up in my normal driving, so once in a while I use an empty parking lot to back up faster than usual and paste the brakes. Three times will generally bring the pedal right up.

I used to do the same with my old Chevy pickup: its just good old fashioned technology!! Very Happy
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 7:51 am    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

Quote:
to back up faster than usual and paste the brakes


Understood an actual 'rearward deceleration' is required to tweak the shoes and actuate the self-adjust. But you're saying you MUST brake "hard" to make them self-adjust? Or you simply do this periodic parking lot ritual in an "intentional manner" because it's the task-at-hand?

Lets say your wife drove the van (for years). And the rear brake self adjust mechanisms were in good working order. And she simply "maneuvere/reverse/braked" at times using the footbrake to decelerate rearward. Would the rear brakes self adjust for a sane person too? Without regard to your wife's sanity (of course)... we're talking brakes and magic here.

But anyway, your brake pedal comes up when you do this. That's good info.
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bobbyblack Premium Member
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PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 8:09 am    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

Warning: I've had that backup hard brake maneuver lock up something, it seemed like a brake shoe, and was unable to go either rearward further or forward.

It was eerie, and took me a long time to get brave enough to use 1st HARD until it broke free. I was sweating thinking through how I could get the drum off such a locked up shoe... Old crusty adjusters were haunting NY thoughts.

I just got lucky, simply lucky, to get it freed up.
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surfwagonorangevw
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PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 10:52 am    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

Warning: I've had that backup hard brake maneuver lock up something, it seemed like a brake shoe, and was unable to go either rearward further or forward.

yes , I had the same thing happen once . Quick acceleration in reverse and stomped on the brakes , seems like the brakes jammed up just like they do when stuck on after being parked , which often happens here in our wet humid environment .
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 1:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

A sensible VW engineer would design this magic for access to “all drivers all the time” not just for those who reverse-brake “hard”. But I do understand the idea that .... if gummed up youmight be inclined to slap it around a little.... Wink
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 3:31 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

Seems even on original backing plates, the adjuster is not square with the hole. I have to come in on a good angle to back off the adjuster from memory.
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2018 9:04 am    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

Sodo wrote:
A sensible VW engineer would design this magic for access to “all drivers all the time” not just for those who reverse-brake “hard”. But I do understand the idea that .... if gummed up you might be inclined to slap it around a little.... Wink

Its not like that Tom, its just that in the course of my usual driving there is very little backing up. I would imagine that low speed city driving would keep the brakes adjusted up better - less wear and more reversing.

I live in a suburban area, so no parallel parking and I don't park in lots much either, whereas I do use the brakes pretty hard through Turn 1, Turn 2 and Turn 3 on the freeway exit that leads to Crescent Beach. Cool
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?Waldo?
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PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2018 9:25 am    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

All the talk about reversing to get the self adjusters to work is nonsense. They work simply from pulling the handbrake. No reverse necessary or helpful.
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shagginwagon83
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PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2018 9:31 am    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

?Waldo? wrote:
All the talk about reversing to get the self adjusters to work is nonsense. They work simply from pulling the handbrake. No reverse necessary or helpful.


What!! So you can just engage/disengage ebrake and it'll eventually self adjust?!
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?Waldo?
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PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2018 9:34 am    Post subject: Re: Rear Brake Backing Plate. Reply with quote

Yes, if it is all working correctly. The self-adjusters are horribly flimsy, though, and often do not work properly. Reversing does absolutely nothing at all to help or hinder them.
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