Ken is right about the radius of new shoes not matching worn
drums. I put on new shoes and new slave cylinders on my camper
several months ago. My pedal simply was sloppy and no amount
of bleeding could fix it. I ended up double pedaling always.
That means I stepped on the pedal twice and the second time I
do it the pedal would be higher and the brake would be fine.
The Pedal wasn'r spongy so it wasn't air in it. I knew it wasn't
right but I could not fix it by adjusting or bleeding.

Somehow a few months later now suddenly the pedal is right.
I no longer need to double pedaling. I think what happens is the
shoes are worn to a point that the radius now matches the drum.
And the self-adjust is kicked in correctly.

I should have filed the shoes when I put them on. It took me
several hundred miles to break in instead. Of course I am not
an expert and I could be wrong. Bottom line is my brake works
correctly now and it has been that way for several weeks.

David

--- On Mon, 9/29/08, Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET> wrote:

> From: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
> Subject: Re: Rear brake shoe replacment= crappy pedal now
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Date: Monday, September 29, 2008, 11:26 AM
> Don,
> As you have probably learned the hard way, the rear brakes
> on the
> Vanagon have a major impact
> on pedal feel.  In other words if your rear brakes
> aren't up to par your
> pedal will feel spongy or have a
> major pulse to it.  I was going to email you when I saw
> your post that
> you were going to get your rear drums turned.
> I have tried this in the past and even though the drums are
> in spec, I
> have had problems after turning them.
> The main problem is that back in the day, when everyone
> turned their
> drums and they had drum brakes, they would
> not only turn your drums but also radius your shoes to
> match.  If you
> don't do that then you have a rather small
> area of your shoe touching against the drum and you will
> not get as good
> of a pedal as you could have.
> If I am going to do anything to drums I replace them now
> with new ones.
> New drums, new shoes and you are good to go.
> A worn out or turned drum with new shoes that aren't
> radiused to match
> and you are going to get trashy pedal.
>
> I have a econo drum that had made in China for $45 each
> plus shipping
> (251609615OP).  I have used these myself on customer's
> vans
> and they are fine.  I am sure that the German ones are
> better in some
> way but these are decent and the price is right.
>
> So either find a shop that can match your new shoes to your
> turned drums
> or get new drums.  That is my advice.
>
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
>
>
> Don Hanson wrote:
> > On Sun, 28 Sep 2008 06:17:23 -0700, Don Hanson
> <dhanson@GORGE.NET> wrote:
> >
> >
> >> I replaced the rear shoes on my 84. SBS shoes now.
>  Had the drums turned,
> >> they are within spec.  Replaced one wheel cylinder
> that was weeping.  Bled
> >> the
> >>
> >
> > <<Snipped>>
> >
> > using the brakes...Anybody?
> >
> >>  PS: My brake MS is relatively new..last March..My
> fluid was replaced at
> >> the time of the new brake and clutch cylinder..
> >>
> >>  Don Hanson
> >>
> >
> > I just realized that the hydraulic cylinder I've
> replaced two times in my
> > van is really the clutch MC, not the brake.  Do the
> symptoms I've tried to
> > describe sound like maybe my brake MC is problematic?
> >
> >   I'm getting a little short for time, having a
> trip to Utah coming next
> > weekend, so I want to get the van 'finished'
> and correctly.  I could see
> > snow on the trip, so I want the brakes working without
> any unexpected or
> > unpredictable behavior.  Should I throw a master
> cylinder at the
> > problem..and should I go for the high priced spread MC
> or is the "european
> > copy" gonna be ok for a poor fella (now) who is
> not a "Van-atic" owner?
> >
> >   Don Hanson
> >
> >