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Poppawoody Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2017 Posts: 5 Location: TN
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 6:43 am Post subject: Rusted star adjusters |
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My 72 has rear drum brakes that I was working on when I got stuck.. The star adjusters were rusted solid. I cannot get them to move at all. I've tried blaster and let it soak for hours and even overnight. I took a torch to it but still nothing. Any ideas on what else I could try to get these out of here so I can finish my brake job? |
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Poppawoody Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2017 Posts: 5 Location: TN
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 7:01 am Post subject: Re: Rusted star adjusters |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12721 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 7:36 am Post subject: Re: Rusted star adjusters |
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PBlaster
Heat
The biggest, baddest vise-grips you can muster, clinched as tight as you can, in the proper direction. (Tools like vise-grips, channel locks, monkey wrenches, etc, all have an orientation, that if reversed usually ruins the parts at hand.)
It’s worth saving the original backing plates because of figment issues with new plates.
Good luck,
Robbie _________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com |
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jtauxe Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004 Posts: 5780 Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 7:47 am Post subject: Re: Rusted star adjusters |
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That star on the left is looking a bit mangled, too.
As a penetrating oil, I prefer AeroKroil. Give it a few days.
New adjusting stars are available, if things go sideways. _________________ 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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Xevin Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2014 Posts: 7624
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alman72 Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2014 Posts: 2573 Location: MICHIGAN
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 8:46 am Post subject: Re: Rusted star adjusters |
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there was talk awhile ago that a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone works better than most everything. watched a couple Tube videos that tried really hard to be scientific, and it seem to do really well. Ray may jump in and correct me, and thats fine. |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50338
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 9:40 am Post subject: Re: Rusted star adjusters |
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Take an old chisel and grind it so that it has rounded edges and can exert its force right at the roots of the teeth.
Heating the adjuster cylinders up and then applying wax to the joints as they cool would draw the wax into the joint.
I drill small drain holes in the bottom of each of the adjuster cylinders so that any water that gets into the cylinders will drain out readily and hopefully the adjuster will get less corrosion as a result, you could drill the holes and then use a grease needle to try and force the adjusters to move using hydraulic pressure. |
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Poppawoody Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2017 Posts: 5 Location: TN
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 11:03 am Post subject: Re: Rusted star adjusters |
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I'm replacing everything but the backing plates (hopefully not the f'n backing plates). Trying not to have to replace them if at all possible. Do any of you think it would be worth heading to the store to get some brake cleaner to try to help loosen up some of that build up or is that a mute point? Luckily they're not a one year backing plate. MidAmerican Motorsports has the one I need for around $75. |
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skills@eurocarsplus Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007 Posts: 16863 Location: sticksville, ct.
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 11:17 am Post subject: Re: Rusted star adjusters |
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spray the whole deal down with parts cleaner and blow all the weasel piss out of there. use compressed air to make sure that everything is DRY.
heat those cocksuckers up on the boss they slide into until you can almost see thru them. quickly with GOOD vice grips start to wiggle them bac and forth grabbing the stars, NOT the screw
they'll come out. you need a real torch setup....mapp gas may be a bit weak here.
you'll be worm food by the time any penetrating oil even thinks of working
once out use a bottle brush style wire brush/rifle brush and shine the bore up real good. _________________
gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
Jake Raby wrote: |
Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
Brian wrote: |
Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
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timvw7476 Samba Member
Joined: June 03, 2013 Posts: 2200 Location: seattle
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 5:44 pm Post subject: Re: Rusted star adjusters |
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just get the shoes out of the way, use a long slotted screwdriver to turn the threaded portion out, if the star remains frozen in place, I thread a decent length bolt in, deep enough to bottom out & draw the star out of the pocket. |
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richparker Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2011 Posts: 6980 Location: Durango, CO
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 8:21 pm Post subject: Re: Rusted star adjusters |
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Poppawoody wrote: |
I'm replacing everything but the backing plates (hopefully not the f'n backing plates). Trying not to have to replace them if at all possible. Do any of you think it would be worth heading to the store to get some brake cleaner to try to help loosen up some of that build up or is that a mute point? Luckily they're not a one year backing plate. MidAmerican Motorsports has the one I need for around $75. |
If you are having this much trouble removing the stars I’m willing to bet the backing plates will not come off either. _________________ __________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22641 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 3:10 am Post subject: Re: Rusted star adjusters |
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That’s going to take heat. You know you are getting long enough when the metal will start to lose the corrosion as it burns off. Three to five minutes of heat and perhaps the same number of cycles of heating and cooling.
Acetone ATF 50/50 is the best measured penetrant but that’s not going to bust up that rust. _________________ .ssS! |
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