In a message dated 97-01-17 18:05:29 EST, young@sherlock.sims.berkeley.edu
(Beth Young) writes:

 On Fri, 17 Jan 1997 byron.peratoner@bangate1.TEK.COM wrote:
 
> > I have an 83 Westy, and I need to replace the rear brake linings.  The 
> > factory service manual indicates that I need to remove the rear hub to
gain 
> > access to the linings.  [snip]
 
> Well, you don't HAVE to remove the hub.  The hub and drum on the Vanagon 
> are "split", so you can remove the drum without removing the hub. 

True.  The drum and hub are seprable.

>It's slightly harder to get at everything withoug removing the hub, but I'll

> bet that's the way any brake shop in the world would go about replacing 
> the lining.  

Slightly harder???  With the hub in place it would block most of your access.
 I would suspect this would make it MUCH more difficult.

>Besides, that way you don't need a giant socket, a hub 
> puller and a breaker bar capable of 360 ft-lbs.

Sorry.  Yes you do.  The drum can't come off without taking off the big 46mm
"castle" nut.  After you remove the nut, you could remove the two bolts that
hld the hub to the drum and then remove the drum without the hub, but I don't
see why anyone would want to do such a thing.

The best tool to get the "big" nut off is one that's made to be torqued on
with a 1/2" breaker bar while also being hit with a hammer.  I don't know
what the name of these tools are, but they work well.

By the way, this is a bit fresh in my mind.  I just finished doing the rear
brakes on my wife's 88 Vanagon a few hours ago.

Good luck,
Jim Davis