Re: BRAKES!

[king5zreo@juno.com]

Nice, thorough description on the procedure Steve. I broke two 1/2 inch
drive power handles trying to remove the hub nuts off my '68 FB. I ended
up borrowing an impact air wrench & torch. I had to heat, I mean RED hot,
the nut & use the air wrench to remove the nut. I know this isn't a
recommended procedure, but drastic situations call for drastic measures.
Also apply some grease to the threads before putting the hub nuts back
on. This may help the next time you need to remove the hubs. I think they
are to be torqued at 217 foot pounds.
Tom
'68 FB (Thumper)
'70 Bug

On Wed, 18 Mar 1998 17:31:01 -0800 (PST) Steven Ayres <comwest@well.com>
writes:
>
>Hunter=> my rear drum brake pads seem to be frozen. ... the adjusting 
>      => stars would barely move.  
>
>Assuming that your brakes are working, the simplest and therefore most 
>
>likely answer is that the adjusters are jammed with crud. I've seen 
>this 
>frequently when people neglect to keep plugs in the adjusting holes. 
>It 
>indicates that you really need to get in there and clean things up 
>anyway, so you might just as well pull the hubs (arrgh!) and do it 
>right. I've found I can usually free up stuck adjusters with a pair of 
>
>channellocks and a few squirts of Liquid Wrench. Just keep the 
>lubricant 
>off the pads and drum. Oh yeah, and be sure to get some adjustment 
>plugs. 
>
>=> If you could tell me how to do this and give me some directions 
>=> (remember I am mechanically incompetent) I would greatly appreciate 
>
>=> it.  
>
>Pulling the hub is the hard part, and it's laid out well in the Muir 
>manual. Assuming you don't have air tools and a huge compressor, 
>you'll 
>need a 36mm socket or the flat iron hub tool sold in every competent 
>VW 
>parts shop, a serious breaker bar and a six-foot pipe. 
>
>With the car on the ground, put it in gear, set the handbrake and 
>block 
>the wheel really well in both directions. Remove hub cap. Remove 
>cotter 
>pin in castle nut. Apply penetrating oil to castle nut. Apply 
>socket/hub 
>tool to castle nut, insert breaker bar so that you'll push down to get 
>
>the nut off (counterclockwise on both sides), and put the pipe on the 
>breaker bar. Make *sure* everything's really solid, otherwise you get 
>hurt. Stand on end of pipe and jump up and down until it gives.
>
>Jack up the wheel, put the axle on a jackstand, and remove the castle 
>nut. The wheel and hub will then slide off together, although if your 
>car is really funky it might be a struggle. With the hub off the brake 
>
>is in front of you and defenseles against your tender ministrations.
>
>=> the hoses that go from the brake fluid resevoir to the master 
>=> cylinder are very dry rotted.  
>
>Except for a couple of short connector hoses, your car came with 
>hardlines from the reservoir to the master, and that's what you should 
>
>put back in. Jim Adney will be able to give you detailed instructions 
>and 
>parts when he gets back; someone else here might also be able to help.
>Be advised, brakes are *really important*, not to be messed around 
>with, 
>and you'll at least need a good manual and a clear understanding of 
>it.
>
>Steven Ayres, Prescott AZ
>'66 KGhia 1600
>

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