Check the amount of material left on the shoes, and also check the drums to
make sure they are in spec.  I had this symptom, bled the brakes many times
to no avail, then discovered that the drums were .060" over the maximum spec
and the shoes were about 75% worn.

Evidently the Vanagon drum brakes are very sensitive to excessive wear due
to their poorly-designed self adjusting mechanism.

Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA

----- Original Message -----
From: Mark & Kate Sheflo <skjeflo@TELEBYTE.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2000 7:40 PM
Subject: Brakes!!!!!!

> Just tonight, our 82 Westy started a weird syndrome.  The brakes have
worked
> fine in the past, and still worked fine after the install of a rebuilt
> motor, but tonight was different.  They work as they should 85% of the
time,
> but the other 15% I need to pump them to get a firm pedal.  All vacuum
lines
> are connected firmly.  Any ideas??? Anyone?  Bueller?
>
> Mark
> 82 Westy