Parking Brake help

TheDeathMarch · Samba Member Joined: August 21, 2003 Posts: 17

My parking brake doesn't work. It seems like the cords need tightening. The entire rod just pulls out with out any tension. Does anyone know what this might be. Or how tighten the two cord looking things running under the bus?

Joel Rosado · Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2003 9:35 am Post subject:

There are a couple of reasons for this.All are relativelly easy to check or fix. The points i am posting are from experience .I had the same problem. First , lets check the break bands. The parking break works with the rear brake bands and system , so the problem should be there. . Are they weared down?.You can check by taking the backing plate plug out and see if they look good .Is in the inner side of the wheel.If you can't see it or they look bad we have to replace them.We will try to do so, or check in another way. Lift the bus rear,put some heavy duty towers to avoid accidents and then take the tires out. In each drum ,you will find 2 size 11mm screws . Lets take then off and pull the drums . Take it easy. If the drums don't come out you must loose the adjusting screws inside the drums to loose the presure on the bands. By doing this it will be easier to remove the drums. Ok, now that we have them out we will check, depending on the year, the brakes cylinders and the bands for wear. Some have buses have to cylinders, some only one on each side, depending on the year and model..Its really easy so lets keep going if you want to. If you think you will have problems with taking them appart and putting them back again,take pictures or notes to help you put them back as they where.If you want to learn and safe some money , this is the way to go.Ok,check for the brake cables. They should be seen going thru the backing plates , If you can, unhook the cable from the bands and check if they are working smoothly .If they
do ,see if they are any wear on the tip of the cable.Do they need oiling or grease ?If not shure,repalce
them with new cables. They might break and you will have to do this all over
again to replace them , so lets take care of that if neccesary.Ok, lets say they are OK. Lets check
the cylinders for leaks. Is there brake fluid some whre
in the brake drums? If
they are dry and look clean there should
be no leaks, so the cylinders are ok. If you want to change the cylinders, here is the time to do so.if you need any help,post here and i'll do my best to help. Lets keep on the parking break problem. Now lets check wear on the bands.Are they even and with enought "padding" material
work properly?.If they are weared down
they need adjustment or replacement.
Adjustment of the rear brakes are important ,as they are responsable for 60% of the braking power and the proper work of the parking brake. . If you need to replace the brake bands, do it and take notes on how the springs and adjustment nuts are so it will be easier to adjust them.To properlly adjust the rear brakes and at the same time fix the parking brake, you will have to put the wheels back and after making shure they are properly mounted and any parts in need of replacement are fix and changed., You will need to adjust the nuts inside the drums, thru the hole on the backing plates you can turn them,until you feel that they are holding,but not touching the drums. Just adjust a little and turn the complete wheel and tire. They should turn easy and no sounds should be heard. We are looking for any sounds and sign of contact bettween the bands and the drum.Sometimes a little contact bettween then is possible, but it will go away with some use. Remember to check the adejustment after a while and to keep an eye on them regulary. This systems need to be adjust for proper performance.This procedure is very simple and it should take little timeto do it right.Don't rush and as i said,post here if you need any help,photos of the manual or any thing i can do to help. The description you gave tells me that the problem are the bands that need replacement and adjustment. My advice<"CHECK THE COMPLETE SYSTEM". All brake pads and bands,all cylinders and calipers and see if there are no DISK BRAKES on the rear. Some people update the system with this and some doesn't have the parking break hook up. Good luck<Danny Twisted Evil

_________________
Joel Rosado( papun's son)

Amskeptic · Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2003 7:39 pm Post subject:

Amskeptic · Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2003 7:45 pm Post subject:

keifernet · Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2003 7:57 pm Post subject:

I see Danny has now gone from dissatisfied engine customer to Mr. Helpful tech wizard.... Rolling Eyes

Joel Rosado · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2003 6:54 am Post subject:

dissatisfied has nothing to do with helpfull. keep your comments to the matter.Need to post comments other than the one discuss here, go somewhere else on the forum and look for the proper one.Thanks. STAYING WITH THE MATTER: The back brakes are so important at the time of braking that if they don't work properlly ,the bus might just keep going, slide or can even get you in a serious accident. Most of the flipped buses i have seen are do to the fact that when barking the back one don't work and the front tend to take control of the bus, making it suitable to flip. YES, this is a matter of speed and control to , but in my oppinion they are 60% or more important than the front ones. I only can agree on this:"ANY PART OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS AS IMPORTANT AAS THE OTHER", so keep them properly serviced. Twisted Evil

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Joel Rosado( papun's son)

Joel Rosado · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2003 6:55 am Post subject:

dissatisfied has nothing to do with helpfull. keep your comments to the matter.Need to post comments other than the one discuss here, go somewhere else on the forum and look for the proper one.Thanks. STAYING WITH THE MATTER: The back brakes are so important at the time of braking that if they don't work properlly ,the bus might just keep going, slide or can even get you in a serious accident. Most of the flipped buses i have seen are do to the fact that when barking the back one don't work and the front tend to take control of the bus, making it suitable to flip. YES, this is a matter of speed and control to , but in my oppinion they are 60% or more important than the front ones. I only can agree on this:"ANY PART OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE REST OF THE SYSTEM", so keep them properly serviced. Twisted Evil

_________________
Joel Rosado( papun's son)

jeremysmithatshawdotca · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2003 5:04 pm Post subject:

You ever ride a bike Danny? If you have you'd know the front brakes provide way more stopping power than the rear brakes. The physics that control this affect a car in the same way. I've never seen a car do an endo due to braking (lots of bikes though!). Jeremy

llamas1 · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2003 10:30 am Post subject:

I recently adjusted my parking break on my 71 Bus. When I got it the parking brake didn't work at all. I checked my rear drums and saw that my break shoes are in good shape. I followed the Bentley manuls instructions and tightened both cables where I could get no more than 6 clicks from the brake handle.

I believe I did a sucessfull job. While parked in the driveway with a slight slope the engaged parking brake with stop the Bus. When I release it, it begins to roll. This indicates to me that I didn't over tighten the cables.

However I did notice that the brake petal has gotten stiffer (less travel). Is this normal?

keifernet · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2003 3:06 pm Post subject:

You should always make sure the adjusting "stars" are not frozen and adjust the rear shoes FIRST before making adjustments to the cables...

and yes adjusting the rear shoes up can/should give you a better pedal.

ratwell · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2003 5:38 pm Post subject:

This is the advice I've followed the last couple of adjustments:

http://www.type2.com/archive/type2/091460.html

Putting anti-seize in the barrels of the adjusting stars when you reassemble the drum is a must.
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'78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab
Read the Baywindow FAQ

nothereanymore · Samba Member Joined: September 03, 2003 Posts: 86

My back brakes failed and my bus did an endo! allwaysapain, can you fix it? Razz

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MrBreeze · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2003 9:53 am Post subject:

It BREAKD itself TO DEAD!!!!!!

Twisted Evil

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-=Rob

WTB: Bay Shore or Queensboro VW Frames

HBB 1984-2009
RW 1943-2011
ER 1964-2023

nodtobob · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2003 10:19 am Post subject:

Alwaysapain in the Sambas ass
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slow down!

jeremysmithatshawdotca · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2003 1:20 pm Post subject:

ROTFLMAO at Mr.Breeze! Laughing

llamas1 · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2003 1:57 pm Post subject:

Rich · Samba Member Joined: August 07, 2003 Posts: 158

It suggests to me that your break pads are not fully returning after releasing the emergency break cable. This could mean a problem with the break pad return springs (doubtful) or that the cables are not smoothly operating in the tubes that carry them, or that they are binding in some way or another.

I once had the tube carrying the emergency brake cable get pinched somehow. The cable would not release and the brakes on that side started to smoke! Hadn't seen that since I was a brakeman for the CNW!
Rich

nothereanymore · Samba Member Joined: September 03, 2003 Posts: 86

llamas1 - Humour only. It took me a while to find a pic of a rolled bus on the web. Most of pics of buses are either slammed splitties or burnt up bays.

llamas1 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2003 2:37 pm Post subject:

I was wondering. That would be a pretty hard pic to find unless you had one on hard from a personal experience.

TimGud · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2003 4:10 pm Post subject:

Death march follow Keifers advice and adjust the rear brakes first, then adjust the e-brake cables,and make sure they haven't come off at the pivot close to the floor. While it is always good advice to check wheel cylinders and the rest of the braking system they have no effect on the e-brake.


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