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What shape's your VW in? Do you have a 100-points show winner? A rust bucket with so much paint that only the paint is holding it together? It won't matter if you can't stop! You know what I mean - it starts with having to pump the brake to "get a pedal" before coming to a stop, or the worst case - no brakes at all! Face it, all the horsepower in the world will drastically endanger your life and that of others if your brakes can't handle it.
This series of articles will be about getting your brakes up to snuff. Because the subject on brakes is rather large, having to cover the details on all VW models would be beyond allowable space of our newsletters. Therefore, I will try to hit the basics that cover all models and leave any details concerning each model up to you, the owner. I suggest you get a Bentley manual that covers your VW's specifics. The Bentley manuals can be purchased through Roy Rogers Foreign Car Parts stores, your local VW dealer, and direct from Robert Bentley publishers.
For now, we will adjust the drum brakes, for they aren't self-adjusting like disc brakes. You will need:
Brake adjusting tool (Autozone or Roy Rogers for around $5)
or Wide-bladed screwdriver
Floor jack or you can use the jack that came with the car
Jack stands
Whatever you use to jack the car up, use some kind of jack stand to support the car. Never get under a jacked-up car without some kind of jack stand to firmly support it. Don't think the unthinkable will happen to you? Anyhow…
After jacking and supporting the front, slide under with adjusting tool in hand. If there is a plug at either side of the 6 o'clock position of the backing plate, remove them both. If there is a hole either side of the 6 o'clock position without plugs, it is because someone took the plugs out years ago and threw them away! Look for a star-shaped wheel inside one of the holes (turning the front wheels one way or another will help you here). Use a flashlight if you need one. See the star-shaped wheel? Good! This is the adjustment wheel you will need to turn. Insert the tool against the adjusting wheel. Start turning it one way or another. After you've turned the adjusting wheel several times, spin the tire to feel for any drag. If you're turning the adjusting wheel the right way, it should eventually get tighter and tighter until you can't turn the tire anymore. What this is doing is centering the brake shoes inside the drum for a good adjustment. Now back off the adjusting wheel until there is only a slight amount of drag when you spin the tire. Now you've adjusted one brake. Do all the other three the same way, only have both the rear wheels off the ground at the same time to adjust the rear. Also, make sure the emergency brake is completely released before doing the rear brakes.
You should notice a significant improvement in pedal travel once you have adjusted all four brakes. The pedal should be higher and only require one application to slow your car down and make it a bit less hair-raising for you and your reluctant passenger! The next article will discuss rebuilding your drum and disc brakes…
Your VW maniac and Tech Specialist,
Mike C.