Re: E-brake sticking

[jadney@vwtype3.org (Melissa & Jim)]

>> Your emergency brake cables are probably just frozen.  The fix it to replace 
>> them--they are still available.
>> 
>> Your rear brake cylinders might also be sticking.  They are easy to rebuild 
>> right on the car.
>> 
>> Jim

>Thanks for the advice.  I don't think it's the cylinders, as I just
>replaced them about a year ago.  When this sticking happens, the only way
>to get on the road again is to tap on the edges of the drums with a mallet
>to free them up, so I don't think it's a problem with the cables.  When I
>put on new shoes last year, the drums looked pretty smooth, so I didn't
>have them turned.  Is it possible that this is the problem?  
>
>I used some Italian made cylinders instead of the OEM German, so I'm
>wondering if that might be a problem....  
>However, do the rear cylinders even participate in
>the function of the e-brake?  I thought the e-brake was purely
>cable-driven.

I usually just rebuild my old ones, don't know about the quality of the 
others. Your description sounds a little wierd so I'm not sure what is going 
on.  I would still check your cables.  Just look at them and see if their 
plastic covering is still intact and that they don't have any bulges in them 
due to rust forming inside.  I don't think the drums are the problem; I have 
NEVER had a drum turned.

The only part that the wheel cylinders play in this is that there is a 
spring inside them that pushes the cups out to follow the shoes as the 
E-brake is applied.  I suppose that this spring might be too strong, but 
that is a bit farfetched.  More likely the return springs are weak.

The E-brake cables have return springs built into their wheel ends.  One way 
to test them would be to remove the drum and disconnect the wheel end of the 
cable from the E-brake actuating lever.  Then disconnect the inside end also 
and see if you can pull the cable from the inside by hand and watch it pull 
itself back.

Jim
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       Melissa Kepner                                    Jim Adney
       jadney@vwtype3.org              jadney@vwtype3.org
                             Laura Kepner-Adney
                             Madison, Wisconsin
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