Thanks Stuart:

>Brent, pull up the parking brake and see if you get a firm pedal on the
>first pump.  If so, your  rear brakes are out of adjustment.  If not,
>you could try replacing all the hoses.

Yep - this helps, so I did adjust the rears.  Problem is, the pedal is still
mushy and the rear brakes are so tight they are now dragging.  Bulging hoses
would not "pump up" would they?  I would think that they would swell and
then shrink with each successive pedal pump.  The symptom I am getting is
that the brakes will pressurize after the first pump.

I am wondering if it might be the master cylinder...???  If the seals were
bad, it would act like this, right?

>Did you put the calipers on the correct sides?  It may be impossible to
>switch them on the Vanagon, but be sure the bleed nipple is at the top
>of the caliper or you will always have trapped air.

I only do one side at a time for exactly this sort of reason!  :-)  Even if
they were on the wrong side, I bleed the brakes with an EZBleed and attach
the drain hose to ball-type check valve submersed in brake fluid.

Brent Christensen
Manager Strategic Programs
InfoGenesis
www.infogenesis.com
(805) 681-8600 xt. 414

-----Original Message-----
From: Stuart MacMillan [mailto:stuart@cobaltgroup.com]
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2000 2:46 PM
To: BRENT CHRISTENSEN
Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Mushy brake pedal question

At 4-6mm  it is time to replace your rears anyway.  No special tools are
needed, just patience.  Do one side at a time so you have the other for
reference.  Have the drum turned too if there is any scoring or a ridge
on the outer edge.

> BRENT CHRISTENSEN wrote:
>
> Well, my battle against the mushy brake pedal continues...
>
> After completing a *complete* front brake job (new rotors,
> semi-metallic pads, caliper rebuild), I adjusted up the rear brakes in
> an attempt to get rid of excess pedal travel.   The pedal feels
> better, but it still improves after pumping once before stopping.
> Unfortunately, the car is now pulling a bit to one side, and after my
> 12 mi commute this AM, I noticed that both drums were HOT.  Guess I
> tightened them up too much. :-(
>
> How the heck am I going to get the pedal to feel better???  I have
> bled the system to death (In fact I used an EZ-Bleed and ran about 1
> qt of fluid through the system.)  Even used the "wife method" with no
> sign of air in the system.  No matter what I do, the pedal still
> always seems mushy on the first pump, then stiffens up to where it
> feels it should be.
>
> BTW, the rear linings have about 4-6 mm left, but are a tad glazed  (I
> didn't have time to change the linings)  - also, will a normal brake
> tool from a FLAPS work on the Vanagon drum brakes (you know, the one
> with the spring stretcher on once side and the spring
> depresser/rotater on the other side)
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Brent Christensen
> '89 GL Syncro Westy
> Santa Barbara, CA
>

--
Stuart MacMillan
Manager, Case Program
800-909-8244 ext. 8208

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