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Honuak
Samba Member
Joined: April 21, 2009
Posts: 521
Location: AK
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 Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:03 pm Post subject: How to make the rear disc e-brake work |
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I have finally had it with the rear disk brake conversion. And after reading the "mods I regret" post I know I am not alone. I don't have the original drum parts. Has anyone converted back and have advice, parts list, number of beers it takes to do the job?
Last edited by Honuak on Sat Feb 15, 2014 2:37 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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What rear kit do you have?
I would trade parts.
Yes, I have no issues making the rear disk brakes work well.
Well, it depends upon what assembled parts hence my question. |
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16504
Location: Brookeville, MD
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Ahwahnee
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Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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Your subject line is, well, confusing.
Yeah, I too would like to here the downside of this mod. |
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Honuak
Samba Member
Joined: April 21, 2009
Posts: 521
Location: AK
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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| No parking break most of the time. Weak parking brake for a few days with a lot of busted knuckles adjusting the rod end. I have an early (2004) smallcar conversion. Audi parts. I forget the model. I've replaced them with all new parts recently. Id actually love to keep them for emergency (driving) braking but I wonder if drum brakes are plenty good enough. |
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joseph928
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Joined: September 22, 2011
Posts: 2114
Location: flagstaff az.
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:15 pm Post subject: Breaks |
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| Honuak wrote: |
| No parking break most of the time. Weak parking brake for a few days with a lot of busted knuckles adjusting the rod end. I have an early (2004) smallcar conversion. Audi parts. I forget the model. I've replaced them with all new parts recently. Id actually love to keep them for emergency (driving) braking but I wonder if drum brakes are plenty good enough. |
Go Westy has the SA drums for the rear in stock now. That will give me all I want! 
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1987 syncro westy tin top sun roof , GW2.3, rear locker, decoupler, Gary Lee tire rack & winch mount, lift, south african grill, big brakes , rhein alloy ,15 BFG AT, Fiamma 10 foot awning ,140 watt rear 85 watt front solar , mppt, truckfridge, automatic fire extinguishing system, tencent oil cooler, And a RMW SS exhaust! - 1971 bug convertible 1776 engine- 2010 Subaru turbo - 1993 Toyota 4x4 truck - 1999 Harley 95 CI, big bore, Andrews cams . Also 80-84- vans. Stock 65 sunroof bug. |
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Honuak
Samba Member
Joined: April 21, 2009
Posts: 521
Location: AK
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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| insyncro wrote: |
What rear kit do you have?
I would trade parts.
Yes, I have no issues making the rear disk brakes work well.
Well, it depends upon what assembled parts hence my question. |
I would really love to make them work. |
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Honuak
Samba Member
Joined: April 21, 2009
Posts: 521
Location: AK
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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ouch 
Coverting back to drums in the rear!
Dooh. There a way to edit that right? |
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1621
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2006
Posts: 2174
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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I also posted on the rear disc brake band wagon, but for only one reason - the parking brake. Otherwise, the brakes are better than the drums they were replacing.
The parking brake will hold on on flatter surfaces - like when we're parked and camped and we want a bit less 'rocking' from clambering around inside. It will not hold on a steep hill, however; though I admit it's asking quite a lot of the Small Car discs to hold back a 5000lbs. vehicle on a significant incline. Instead, I curb the wheels, and will sometimes throw a chock under the tire. The chocks worked for our aging fleet of HMMWVs in the Marine Corps, so it's got to be good for a VW, right?
As for the discs and stopping power, they have been fantastic. They're easier to service, shed heat more rapidly (i.e. less fade for mountain passes), and have been very reliable. I would not consider switching back to drums. Rather, I would invite some talented engineer-types to develop an improved parking brake system to work in conjunction with the Small Car set-up, in which I would happily invest.
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'85 Westy |
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madspaniard
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Joined: August 18, 2008
Posts: 3795
Location: Alameda, CA
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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| 1621 wrote: |
I also posted on the rear disc brake band wagon, but for only one reason - the parking brake. Otherwise, the brakes are better than the drums they were replacing.
The parking brake will hold on on flatter surfaces - like when we're parked and camped and we want a bit less 'rocking' from clambering around inside. It will not hold on a steep hill, however; though I admit it's asking quite a lot of the Small Car discs to hold back a 5000lbs. vehicle on a significant incline. Instead, I curb the wheels, and will sometimes throw a chock under the tire. The chocks worked for our aging fleet of HMMWVs in the Marine Corps, so it's got to be good for a VW, right?
As for the discs and stopping power, they have been fantastic. They're easier to service, shed heat more rapidly (i.e. less fade for mountain passes), and have been very reliable. I would not consider switching back to drums. Rather, I would invite some talented engineer-types to develop an improved parking brake system to work in conjunction with the Small Car set-up, in which I would happily invest. |
same here
I can live without e brake because of the auto tranny but I would love to get it fixed. I would never go back to brake drums though. The disk brakes perform great and are lower maintenance.
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1991 Westy auto w/ Peloquin TBD
"The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad” - Salvador Dali |
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Honuak
Samba Member
Joined: April 21, 2009
Posts: 521
Location: AK
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Wheel chocks work. But I use the van simi daily. Camping isnt usually a problem but parking lots are. Using the transmission seems like one knocked lever from a curfufle. |
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kalispell365
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Joined: April 01, 2010
Posts: 889
Location: PNW
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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not on the rug...man.
Love the dude.
Last edited by kalispell365 on Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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ThankYouJerry
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Joined: September 01, 2012
Posts: 2271
Location: Shakedown Street
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:45 pm Post subject: Re: Breaks |
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| joseph928 wrote: |
| Go Westy has the SA drums for the rear in stock now. That will give me all I want! |
I have heard very mixed reviews on the SA drums. Many claim (including Peter at VC) that they won't true even if you turn them when they are brand new before instal.
If the SA drums were perfect, the only benefit I can see is some reduced brake fade on long down hill runs. However, a bigger front brake kit should alleviate most of that anyway.
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1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD |
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Gizmoman
Samba Member
Joined: September 10, 2011
Posts: 1554
Location: Nevada
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds like you just want the e-brake to function without hassle.
Well, I'm not sure how it works but I had an old one ton ford welding truck I bought with a big red knob on the dash. If I stepped on the brakes, then pulled the knob, all four wheels locked up. It stayed locked for days but never tested much longer than that.
Came in handy when I was pulling on stuff with the PTO winch.
It also stayed on with the engine off.
It was a purchased item - not DIY but I forget the name of the manufacturer.
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82 Vanagon Westy - AAZ 1.9 TD, HE200 Holset, WAIC, 27.75 dia tires, Electric power steering, 5-speed AAP w/.078 5th
Oversize spare carrier - stock location (no longer for sale). |
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redeyeksc
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Joined: October 14, 2012
Posts: 116
Location: guelph, ON
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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Back in the day, these were all the rage when I was into 4x4ing.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads15/driveshaft_ebrake1254291542.jpg
I'm surprised no one has come up with something like this for a syncro yet. It's probably what you had on your truck.
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84 Westfalia, now with Bostig Zetec 2.0L, Manual Transmission
Alex |
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furrylittleotter
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Joined: May 19, 2008
Posts: 1506
Location: West Seattle
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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Half a day with the proper parts. No big deal and I would venture to say once they are adjusted and seated you will never ever touch them again. Rear brakes do so little to stop a van.
Go for it.
Neil2 |
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WLD*WSTY
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2009
Posts: 438
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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A simple brake line lock should be sufficient.
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'82 SyncroWesty, the first ever conversion.'06 Subaru 2.5L |
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otiswesty
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Joined: November 21, 2006
Posts: 1730
Location: Portland
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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A shop like GoWesty would probably sell a OG used parts kit to you pretty reasonably. Any other brake conversion shop like Rock Mountain Westy may be able to do the same.
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1978 Sage Green P22 Westfalia
1989 T3 Syncro Single cab
Just a regular guy |
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Franklinstower
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Joined: September 21, 2006
Posts: 1896
Location: PNW
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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My ford rear parking brakes work relatively well, granted going down the road and can't pull it and expect to lock up the rear brakes, but that would take some serious force. My driveway is sloped and I have no problem holding on it. Is the problem with not enough pulling power out of the hand brake lever? A 2-1 purchase on the cable would solve that, but you would have to increase the fulcrum to make up for the loss of travel.
Line locks are a great idea. I had one on a C-60 dump truck and it would easily hole a 20,000 lb load on any incline.
Paul
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'89 Westy - EJ25/22 Frank 4.44 5mt
'75 Miami Blue Sunroof FI Standard Bug |
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Honuak
Samba Member
Joined: April 21, 2009
Posts: 521
Location: AK
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| Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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Line Lock!
It looks like theres either solinoid controled or manual. I'd love to hear opinions on good locations, setup etc. The parts are well under $100. Instalation would not be too tough. Can be installed on either front or rear brake lines. I really like the idea of it. Plus who wouldnt want to do a burnout in a vanagon, thats the way to leave a campsite. The manual versions may be better suited, I wonder if the solinoid controled ones defalt to open when not powered. Anyone know? |
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