brake drum removal.

hjalbert · Post by **hjalbert** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:48 pm

I know I dont live in an area where they salt the roads, but I am only about 5 miles from the coast. Cars rust here, but usually from the top down, but this car did come from Missouri. here is why my right rear wheel would spin for longer then my left rear wheel!

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 11:03 pm

What clued me in to the fact that you weren't in the rust belt was the nicely yellow painted rear plate was missing the major rust pits that our old cars in the rust belt always have on them. Your rear plate dang near looked new. Can't find that on any cars up here, except new ones.

Post by **Fatmobile** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 9:21 pm

That looks great.
I painted mine black,.. but will use up a spare can next time.

hjalbert · Post by **hjalbert** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 10:46 am

Two questions. Does any one elses drum brakes have the wedge that adjusts the ebrake? In m picture its the piece with the vertical spring attached to it. It has a pin/nipple at the top, on one side it was installed with the pin in the hole on the shoes bracket, facing the drum. On the other side this pin was facing the backing plate. It seems the pin would stop it from dropping all the way down, but it also limits how far up it will go. As the brakes wear the spring pulls this wedge down, essentially making the bracket between the shoes longer, pushing them out further against the drums, but as far as I can tell, only when the ebrake is pulled, when the pedal is pushed the wheel cylinders extend and do that on their own the wheel cyliders take I want to take these wedges out because on the rt side it was causing my ebrake to drag. Its flat here, I can manually adjust my ebrake if need be, and I never use it anyway. I figure by removing the wedges, I will prevent the risk of it slipping down again and dragging, or worse, falling out. Just wanted to make sure it didn't do anything else.

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 10:52 am

Most VW's have this wedge in them, so this is really common with the older VW's. Not sure what they use on the newer vehicles. The wedge with the pin on it does go in one way. I don't recollect which way the pin faces, but it binds if you put it in wrong. I also agree that the wedge moves when you use the parking brake. But, I would recommend that the wedge remains installed irregardless if you use the parking brake or not. Don't know enough to know what will happen if you had to do a panic stop and mashed really hard on the brakes with the wedge missing. If the wedge is there and spring installed, it should last for years and many, many miles without falling out. The braking system was designed around the wedge being there, so I'd leave it in.

Vincent Waldon · Post by **Vincent Waldon** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 11:02 am

Yup, it's not just an e-brake adjuster... it automatically sets the proper pad clearance for the entire system and compensates as the pads wear. It adjusts whenever you step on the brakes in reverse.

If it's causing something to drag something's wrong... in proper working order it's a good design that means you'll never have to touch your brakes again until your shoes wear out.

hjalbert · Post by **hjalbert** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 1:51 pm

What's wrong is that I bought the cheapest shoes and they are reman using new rivets, but the bushing they install the arm with that attaches to the ebrake cable allows to much wobble and it either binds again the metal part of the shoe, or its so far out at the top that the metal piece that goes between shoes doesn't fit well over it. Either way, it sucks!

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 2:11 pm

I'd take them back and get shoes that fit better. Most rear shoes are reman units.

leedavis · Post by **leedavis** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 8:27 pm

Is there some sort of technique or tool that could be used to remove the brake drum? It seems that my drum brakes are so worn out they might drop from the ground all of a sudden..

TonyB · Post by **TonyB** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:17 am

The wedge goes in with the pin (vw calls it a "lug") facing the backing plate.

I just got a new set of reman shoes from NAPA that I'm going to have to return. Sloppy assembly, loose rivet, and the parking brake arm is bent so that the slotted push bar won't fit over the shoe and arm.
Anyone have a better source other than my friendly dealer?

TonyB
81 Dasher 1.6na

Post by **Fatmobile** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 1:59 am

Try a search.
Someone recently posted several local auto parts stores and which one supplied the good shoes.

hjalbert · Post by **hjalbert** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 11:54 am

I went to advance and made them bring everything they had in stock to the counter, I then went through and found a good pair. But good news is that Carquest sells them new, not rebuilt, and only 20 bucks!

vwtyp133 · Post by **vwtyp133** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:12 am

TonyB wrote:The wedge goes in with the pin (vw calls it a "lug") facing the backing plate.

I just got a new set of reman shoes from NAPA that I'm going to have to return. Sloppy assembly, loose rivet, and the parking brake arm is bent so that the slotted push bar won't fit over the shoe and arm.
Anyone have a better source other than my friendly dealer?

TonyB
81 Dasher 1.6na

(Competitor's name removed by moderator) seems to have a number of sets from which to choose Prices run as low as $12.73 for both sides. Some companies don't actually make brake stuff, but they charge a lot for just having their names printed on the boxes.

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:50 am

I would venture to say that 100% of all retailers that sell parts with their name on the box do not make the parts that fill the box. They are just private labeled by the companies that make parts for many different "brands". Even the names that are well known throught the rebuilder parts industries (Melling, Federal Mogul, Clevite, etc) will likely not make 100% of their own parts.