oversized brake shoes

[dogmeat]

does anybody make O/S brake shoes anymore?

there used to be a kit, 211 698 134 A

[Wildthings]

There are companies that can do that for you.

[SGKent]

why. If the drums are still in spec but have been cut, re-arc the shoes. Most new shoes seem to be arc'd a little over size anyway.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[kreemoweet]

Having shoes relined seems to be the only way to keep actual bus brake shoes on your 73-79 bus.
All the mfr's seem to have gone to providing Vanagon shoes, which are not the same.
If you're going to that much trouble anyway, might as well have 'em fit the linings to your drums at the same time.
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[SGKent]

I don't know. I've found old stock ATE and Pagid brake shoes for bays just by watching for them online. That said, any brake lining shop that does truck brakes can reline old shoes with Bendix or other linings that are as good as originals. That is what I used to do in the 70's and 80's.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[dogmeat]

update: I had a pair of drums turned a couple weeks ago. big hassel... hard to find someone to turn drums, ands no one does drums for VW anymore because of the oddball tooling. I finally found an old school shop that still had the adapter and the drums are in spec at max allowed diameter. they do not arc shoes

the new shoes aren't even close

I asked a dozen shops about arcing the shoes. and no. some on the phone... long pause.... ahhhh what now? some in person,,, they looked at me like I had a dick growing out of my forehead. yeah, an old timer knew what I was talkin about, but... we don't do that anymore.... not in years & years

maybe if there were an antique auto club or two. I can think of one possibility about 400 miles out, but none around here.

yesterday a guy from an old shop gave my brother a brake lathe. gave it to him... we don't do that any more. it takes up space, we gotta train somebody, and the liabilities... etc. thats where its going. modern brake shops buy all new parts to install.

and yeah, I asked if they had the arc machine... and no.

so, I guess I'll make one. all you have to do is get the radius right and feed it into the mill

[SGKent]

I arc'd mine with sandpaper and the drum. Perfect fit. About 30 - 45 minutes of work. A brake shoe arc machine would have been like 30 seconds. Wear a mask just in case.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Wildthings]

Don't know where you are at, but many cities will still have a business who replaces brake linings and can install a slightly thicker lining for you. I have had this done many times in the past.

Ott's Friction Supply in Portland, OR was who I used.

Porter Webster comes up on a search as another possibility.

If you are just using off the shelf relined shoes, you can usually get by well enough if you keep the brakes adjusted up well for the first few thousand miles until they wear in and develop and good contact patch. I like to set them at a very light drag and then monitor the heat from the drums to make sure things aren't getting to hot. Check/tighten them up at 500-1000 mile intervals for the next five thousand miles or so.

Yeah, our local NAPA gave away all their machinery for relining and rearcing brakes twentyish years ago. The stuff probably eventually got to some third world country.

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[SGKent]

just looking online, there was a smaller high quality arcing machine that sold at Barrett-Jackson for $201 so those auctions might be a place to keep an eye. This is just the arcing machine, and not the brake lathe. Those are available too in many places but the size and cost is too much for the few times it might be used. Right now I just hand arc them.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[dogmeat]

I'm in Anchorage AK. most all the old school shops are gone because the real mechanics are old & retired.

machine work is another thing thats getting hard to find. I was in a shop that deals with foreign cars, and the only place I found that could turn the drums (they couldn't balance the wheels though because the VW tooling was broken a few years ago) (I found another outfit that can balance the wide 5s but they don't turn drums). anyway, I'm standing there and some guy phones asking about getting a flywheel turned. the guy behind the counter says no one in town will do that anymore. I'm surprised.... I didn't know there was still a machine shop in town (actually there is). I know of two in outlying towns 20ish miles out, but the waiting line is months

[SGKent]

[aeromech]

Donny,
Our friend in Arizona has a brake lathe machine
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[skills@eurocarsplus]

[aeromech]

[74 Thing]

Arcing alternatives if you don't have the machine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n02-GU_VYs
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=703136&highlight=drums+grooves+shoes
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...;start=140

[dogmeat]

thanks... seen the first two

I still lookin but can't find anyone that has the machine so I will prolly make a fixture to do them on my mill. I not going to use a belt sander and "hand job" it