I believe brake shoes/pads no longer contain asbestos these days.
But it is a good point about heath hazard from the brake dust.

I am not exactly sure if the problem I had was caused by mismatched
radius of shoes and drums. It could be an adjustment problem. I did not
pay much attention in the adjustment. I wasn't patient at the time
of installing new slave cylinders and new shoes. It works fine now.
I think the self-adjust mechanism finally sets it correctly. Next
time I think I will be a little more aggressive in turning the star
wheel. I am certain that the low pedal problem had something to do
with the adjustment of the brake.

I am surprised how long it took for the brake to properly self adjust.

David

--- On Mon, 9/29/08, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> wrote:

> From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
> Subject: Re: Rear brake shoe replacment= crappy pedal now
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Date: Monday, September 29, 2008, 12:34 PM
> glad it's working right now.
> It was common a decade or so ago to 'arc' shoes to
> fit the new drum size.
> Due to the hazard of having brake dust and asbestos fine
> particles in the
> air .........that is no longer done.
> I even have some front brake  pads I'd like to file a
> new fresh surface
> on............
> but from a health hazard viewpoint.............might not be
> the smartest
> thing.
> So these days, the drums are left to mate to the shoes on
> their own.
> I have not had the problem you describe, however.
> Scott
> turbovans
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Kao" <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 11:48 AM
> Subject: Re: Rear brake shoe replacment= crappy pedal now
>
>
> > 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
> >> >
> >> >