If your rear brake shoes are not adjusted right close to the drum you get
the exact effect you describe: first pump is long and squishy, second pump
virtually throws you through the windshield.  Go back and adjust your rear
brakes shoes and you'll probably cure this.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Young                       '81 Vanagon
Lafayette, CA 94549         '82 Westfalia
---------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Adam B" <TheCoolestGuy87@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 7:40 PM
Subject: wierd brake stuff :-(

Hey everyone,

After I got my front rotors and pads and rear wheel cylinders replaced (all
OEM parts) a couple months ago, my brakes are doing this wierd thing. When I
press the brake pedal in, it goes down quite far and the brakes do not grip
as
they should. When I push the pedal down, bring it up, and push it down
again,
the brakes grab real hard. My friends suggested that it was the master
cylinder
(I sure hope not because of the price), and that was also my mechanics first
impression. I took it back to him and he bled the system again, and then
said
how it was my emegency brake cable not functioning properly. My knowledge
was
that the emergency brake is a mechanical device and not related to the
hydralics at all. Anybody know what this could be? Or maybe just an
explanation of
how the e-brake works? Or how I could service it myself?
Thanks a lot