In my experience, your brakes are not adjusted properly, and therefore the
e-brake can't be adjusted either.  I have always found that adjusting the
brakes by hand (with a small screwdriver through the hole on the back of the
drum) is necessary to get good adjustment.  The backup-and-put-on-the-brakes
method has never given me the results I'd expect.
So, loosen the e-brake adjuster up again, and try adjusting your brakes by
hand, then try the e-brake again.
tx,
bmc  :)
"Faith will move mountains, but you'd better bring a shovel...."

> From: mike <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
> Reply-To: mike <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
> Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 21:45:53 -0700
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: HELP! Rear brake adjustment
>
> I was told you can put on the rear brake hardware backwards, in which case
> it will not adjust.  Fits fine, looks right but no adjustment.
>
> Just what I was told.
>
> Mike
>
>> From: Mark G <machfive@EXCITE.COM>
>> Reply-To: machfive@EXCITE.COM
>> Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 23:54:53 -0400
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: HELP! Rear brake adjustment
>>
>> I spent the better part of today replacing the rear shoes and wheel cylinders
>> on my '87 Westy. I was told by a local mechanic that they could not adjust
>> the handbrake because the rear brakes were shot and needed replacement, and
>> that the wheel cylinders were leaking.  Luckily I chose to do the work
>> myself. The cyliders were not leaking, although the dust boots were funky and
>> the seals looked pretty shot, so it would have been time to replace soon
>> anyway.  The shoes still had about 1/8 in of material, so they weren't as bad
>> as I thought either, but, again, they would need replacing soon.
>>
>> Anyway, when I put everything back together and bled the brakes, they worked
>> fine, although the pedal feels soft.    However, even after adjusting the
>> e-brake per Haynes, the e-brake does
>> not engage at all. If the van's in neutral and I'm on an incline, and I pull
>> the handbrake, nothing-the van will keep rolling.  (And forget about keeping
>> the van still if in gear-it will simply start rolling.  I'm about out of
>> threads on the adjuster, so any suggestions? I'm out of ideas.  Thanks. -Mark
>>
>> Mark G.
>> '87 Westy
>> '00 Passat
>>
>>
>> Mark G.
>> 1987 Vanagon Westfalia (to go slow)
>> 2000 Passat 1.8T 5SPD(to go fast)
>>
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>