Re: [tech] Why not have a working Parking Brake? [long] was: Flatspotted a ...

[VWMikeLVW@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/7/01 3:57:52 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
tberk@mindspring.com writes:


> [Most folks aren't going to swap out drums for rear disks so, Here ya go...]
>
> I recently redid the rear brakes and cables on my Roc (with Drums 
> currently).
>
> 1. Two (2) rear brake cables.
>
> 2. Two sets brake hardware; springs and stuff. 
>
> 3. Two sets brake pads for stock drums. 
>
> 4. DOT 4 brake fluid. Large bottle. 
>
> While I was there- 
>
> - Replacement (new) Rear Wheel Bearing set. (one side)
>
> - Red Line Synthetic Bearing Grease.
>
> Got the hardware from Potter-folk <http://www.parts4vws.com>, the
> Redline I picked up from Griffin Motorwerke in Berkeley on San Pablo
> Ave. (Nice guy). Fluid from ND or FLAPS, I forget.
>
> I cut the old lines when removing as one had snapped anyway, replace
> both sides as a set- they are both old and they stretch over time.
>
> I threaded the new lines in after a liberal application of the bearing
> grease down the cable sheath and the conduits built into the car.
>
> In the car I found all kinds of crap and debris around the bottom of the
> hand brake base so I took the front seats out and cleaned things up.
> Also this is a good time to visit the contact switch there with some
> contact cleaner, verifying its lubed up and tight.
>
> As far as the other end I used a rubber mallet to help 'ease' the drums
> off. They have been there through thick & thin and want things to stay
> put. Be firm. 
>
> I cleaned the drums with brake cleaner, after removing all the old
> hardware. Rusty and nasty, the self-adjusting type I have had lost some
> of it's 'pep' over the years.
>
> Note: Early brake models had a more manual adjustment system that needs
> tending to, those with early Mk1s take note and check your Bentleys.
>
> After getting down to the backing plate and spindle I repacked the
> bearings on one side and replaced the whole bearings set on the other.
> Please be sure to remove ALL old bearing grease before repacking, old
> and new (let alone two different formulas) don't go well together.
>
> In the hardware kit I received springs, a wedge, new metal 'bracket'
> thingie, and some fittings to keep it all together. I might have swapped
> out the drums for new while I was there but they were serviceable. New
> replacement drums are cheap though.
>
> Reassemble was funky as the springs, being new, put up a great fight
> before giving in. Expect to have the rear of the car in the air and both
> drums off so you can mirror the intact one while reassembling the other.
> Makes life easier.
>
> With the new cables in place somewhat, I connected one end to the bottom
> of the lever in the drum assembly and threaded the other up into the
> car. (Remember the grease earlier? Slap on some more now).
>
> The ends of the cable(s) were hard to keep set into the conduit ends
> until I kept tension on the cable themselves. It was also hard to get
> the ends (once attached at the brake end) to reach far enough to engage
> the balancing adjustment bar straddling the lever (in the the car). 
>
> I took a pair of pliers and puuuuuled like mad to 'seat' the cables and
> their sheaths in the conduit (_now_ they started to take on an 'S' curve
> under the car) and then I was able to thread the nuts on the ends.
>
> Once in place I was able to pull up on the brake lever a bit and check
> every thing for placement before cranking on it. Be careful at 1st to
> make sure every thing is seated right in the drum backing plates and the
> under car conduits.
>
> Note also that they are new and will stretch over the next few days so
> you can expect to re-adjust the tension in a week or so. I think I
> remember three or four clicks before engagement is standard.
>
> After it was all done I think replacing the brake pistons for new ones
> is a great thing since you're there anyway and won't be back for awhile.
> (Cheap, same as Rabbits use). Also be sure to avoid contaminating the
> pads and drum inner surface with lube and grease during reassembley, (hard).
>
> I didn't detail how I flushed new fluid in but you clear the caliper
> closest to the M/C last, do the ones furthest away 1st, in series. You
> may not think you need to but any time you push the piston(s) back in
> you most likely now have bubbles in the fluid. Besides new fluid is a
> goodness.  
>
> Oh, and I remember now that ATE was the brand name for my goodies, good
> stuff- don't cheap out with brake jobs. You can live without a motor but...


Damn, that is a lot of work. Myself, I would rather convert to rear disks 
than perform any maintenance on drums whatsoever. I did replace the rear 
shoes once,...and that was once too much. You could put an eye out with one 
of those stupid springs.  So far, I have never had a single problem with the 
rear disks. They're 1000 times easier to work on and you can even see when 
the pad is getting thin without removing the wheel.

Mike
http://www.geocities.com/vwmikel - trust me, a replacement is on the way!
'84-Arkay Turbo Rabbit GTI
'84-Rabbit GTI - future DCI drag car
'77-Rabbit - project
'80-Scirocco S - (um... to be:1.9L crossflow, turbo, 6 speed, widebody?)