Vanagon Man wrote:

> Volks,
> I am having a brake issue with my 81 that is truly puzzling.  I have done
> brake work on several vanagons, and seem to get good results, on one van i
> know ofjust touch the pedal and you will hit the window!!!!!  However on my
> personal daily driver my brakes SUCK!
>
> Here is what I have done.
>
>  New pads/rotors both sides including new pins and pad plates
> New rubber flex lines on all corners
> New rear brake springs
> New rear pads and drums
> New master cylinder
> Rebuilt brake booster
>
> As you can see, you name it, i have replaced it, and they still suck.
>
> Last Tuesday i pressure bled the system, and same result.
>
> Here are the symptoms.  Pedal is not harm or firm......spongy.  I have done
> a complete fluid change with the same results....nothing seems to be
> leaking.   The rear drums are adjusted, and the e brake holds on the third
> click.
>
> The only thing that i can think of is just maybe the brake adjusting
> mechanism is backwards.  There is no good pic in any of my repair manuals of
> how the forked end on the adjustment bar goes..........I only do one side at
> a time when i do brakes, so i did not mismatch parts, although a previous
> owner may have..............If anyone has a pic of a correctly put together
> set of brake shoes on the rear of a vanagon, please send it on...i might be
> bale to see how that fork should go.
>
> They should stop on a dime, and they do not.  It feels like i need to pump,
> but pumping does not help.  hold them to the floor and they never "lock up"
> any ideas would sure help.......other than that my van is running great!!!
> I do a lot of mountain traveling, and thus need better brakes.
>
> Adam P
> 81 westy (3 of them)
> 74 beetle
> 73 Transporter (at paint shop!)
> 70 Single Cab  "Whitey"
> Vanagon Partsmobiles

Someone posted a few weeks ago about a similar problem.  The problem was solved
by getting rid of an air bubble in the master cylinder, but I don't know how
that was done.   Just a thought.
Perhaps that person could give more details.

Larry A.