Broke down in Grand Junction...Update

[richparker]

I made it back to Durango. Man that uhaul is a gas hog. The passes were knarly! Snow the whole time, I am glad I made it. Didn't lose traction one time.
[img]

[/img]

_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[aryue]

Yipes! Summer is over.

[OB Bus]

My sister and brother-in-law live in Ouray. I need to call then and ask about the "beautiful fall weather" they have been having.
_________________
Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper.

[Desertbusman]

[Danwvw]

Got to have a real respect for the Rocky Mountains and High Elevation! It always snows on the passes there if there is any weather system at all! At least this time of year it does. Probably be a foot on the ground by morning! Glad your safe. Yeah those U H trucks get about 9 MPG on diesel! Make the 20 MPG or so we get in the VW Bus's look pretty good.
_________________
1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

[SGKent]

we had rain here in Sacramento and snow in the Sierra's yesterday. Headed east now. You'll see more in a day or two.

[richparker]

Maybe the vdub gods were keeping me from driving on those snowy passes in my bus.
I realize that I probably could have pulled the brakes apart in the parking lot I was in and attempted to fix the problem, I did have all the tools and plenty of brake fluid. My thoughs when it happened were, it's 12 noon on a Sunday, my wife wanted me home ASAP to help with our 3 month old son, it was drizzling and about to dump out. Also have to work at 9 am tomorrow.
If I tried to fix it, weather or not I was able to, how much time was I gonna lose and would it brake again. I figured towing it home was the best, easiest, safest and fastest option to get home ASAP. I know that it make the brake job $400 more but at least I'm home and so is my bus.
I did replace both rear cylinders like 2 or so years ago. I did use the cheaper ones tho and it just bit me in the a$$. So new German cylinders it is. This also gives me the chance to readjust the rear torsion. I made it to stiff when I did it last time, I need to rotate the inner splines 1 spline clockwise. Since its one a few more bolts once I have the brakes apart, why not.
This is the second time I'm buying parts twice because I bought the wrong ones the first time. Last time was tires and I should have listened to the tire sticky. I'm only buying the correct parts from now on. No need to skimp to try to save some money. I could have almost replaced the whole brake system for $400. Thanks for helping and posting your thoughts.
_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[SGKent]

normally they don't blow out like that unless the brakes are too loose and the drum too big. The pistons are pushing the brakes out. As the shoes wear the bottom of the brakes need to be adjusted farther apart so the cylinders don't do as much work. If they travel too far they can suddenly leak. Generally on a bus I adjust the brakes at the same time I do an oil change and valve job. They are not self-adjusting like modern cars.

[richparker]

[Wasted youth]

Weather or not it happened because they were loose or because they were cheap cylinders I do not know and probably will never know.

Take the drum off and look. Did the pistons pop out due to too much travel? Or did the cheap seals blow by? Or did the cylinder crack? Or did the fluid line connector fail? You really need to see what's goin on in there so you can take corrective action.

What about a re-enactment? If nothing is obviously wrong at first glance, have your wife/friend, etc. pump on the brakes with the drum off and see what exactly is happening. I would think this would be a great time to learn what went wrong so you can avoid a repeat.

[Desertbusman]

[Wasted youth]

[aryue]

While your are doing the rear suspension - pop on over to a local brake shop and have the inner diameter of the rear drums measured to see if they over-sized.

Someone else has posted in another thread that the Varga brake cylinders need to be disassembled and clean out really well.

- Andrew in Austin, TX -
_________________
OldandSlow - but still chuggin.
http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/VW/VWBus.html

[richparker]

So, I finally got the time to fix the Bone Bus. The driver side brake cylinder did blow out, the piston extended to far and the seal blew out. It blew out because the pads were not adjusted correctly. Also installed new pads.
While I had the brakes apart I took the time to adjust the rear torsion bars again. First time I adjusted them I only adjusted the swing plate one tooth. This changed the the angle from 21* to 28.5*. This was way to stiff and it was toping out on the stop plate all the time. So I got a angle finder and readjusted the bars. I ended up rotating the the inner 4 teeth and the outer 5 teeth. This gave me a an angle of 25.5*. I'm happy with the final result. It sits real nice now.
I also installed new KYB shocks on the front.
After I was done we went on a 75 mile round trip drive to a friends house for a BBQ. Bus drove great, tracked great and it didn't top out on the stops once.
_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[richparker]

Broke cylinder

Reason the cylinder broke, misadjusted pads.

_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[richparker]

New KYBs

_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[Ian]

Hey man, those little springs in your picture, the two angled ones on the bottom, shouldn't be there. Also the bottom spring that does go across, needs to be flipped to the back side.

Green Bentley>Brakes and Wheels>pg. 23
_________________
All your Buses are belong to us.
Love and good roads!
IN LOVING MEMORY OF ROB CRESS 1968-2012
**ACHTUNG DO NOT USE AA BRAND PRODUCTS OR BUY ANYTHING FROM PACIFIC PARTS INTERNATIONAL IN CALIFORNIA**

[Wildthings]

Looks like you are missing the little spring clip that is supposed to keep the adjuster from turning on its own. Add a wheel seal that looks like it is weeping enough to keep the adjuster lubricated and you end up with a really loose shoe.

[richparker]

In the Bentley it states that there should be 2 return springs on 68-70. Would those be the angled springs I have in there? Or do those go on the rear of a type 1 or type 3 rear. Photo in the Bentley is from a 71 or later.
I also don't see where in the Bentley where is talks about, or shows a pic of a retaning clip to stop the adjusters from moving. Rear wheel bearings are new FAG inner and outer. They are not leaking. The pic I took was before I took the brake apart. That is brake fluid that is everywhere.
I do understand that I have extra springs in there. I'm thinking they can stay there until I have to take it apart again. The pedal is tight and the brakes seem to be working great.
_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[SGKent]