Fixin stuff that ain't motorcycles

[eltristo]

So I spent the day getting pissed at my VW.  Keep in mind that I have about the same amount of experience fixing cars as I do with motorbikes.

Took forever to figure out how to remove the brake drums.  On the front; rear never happened.  Managed to change the shoes, then realized that the wheel cylinders were both leaking.  I had new ones, so not SO bad.  Luckily, the new ones didn't quite fit.  VERY close, but no go.  Tried to rebuild the old ones with the new parts.  No go there either; just a little off on size.  Also, every bleed screw might as well have been welded in place.  Good times.

Now for the question.  My brakes were shit.  Still are.  The shoes have quite a lot of material left.  I replaced them anyway.  The inside of the drum was smoooooooooth.  Should it be, or should there be some sort of scoring/roughness?  Will the leaky cylinders account for my useless braking?

[MadDuck]

The inside of the brake drum is supposed to be smooth. That's good. Leaking wheel cylinders will certainly cause poor braking and you could have other issues as well. What year and model is this VW?

[eltristo]

1973 Beetle Convertible

[MadDuck]

1973 Beetle Convertible

Don't mean to make you feel bad or inadequate but it just doesn't get any easier than that. I did those cars for so many years I could do them in my sleep. We used to joke that one of our nightmares was that we'd wake up in the morning and be staring up at the underside of a Bug. There were times when that almost happened. Let me know when you might want me to take a look and we'll get you straight.

Is it a Super Beetle or just a regular Beetle?

[eltristo]

I don't feel bad. It was only hard because I'd never done it before.  Now the problem is that the new parts (cylinders) just don't fit, and they aren't going to fit unless the back of the drum is machined to force it.  I'm just gonna have to get new ones.   I love wasting money, i do.

Oh, it's a super.  All convertibles from 73- are supers.  I think that means it can fly....

[MadDuck]

Oh, it's a super.  All convertibles from 73- are supers.  I think that means it can fly....

That was kind of how I remembered it but I wasn't 100% sure. Talk to me. I may be able to help get you a deal on parts so you don't waste too much money no matter how much you love doing that.    One other thing, is it still stock or have different parts been installed? Anything can happen over 30+ years.

[eltristo]

That was kind of how I remembered it but I wasn't 100% sure. Talk to me. I may be able to help get you a deal on parts so you don't waste too much money no matter how much you love doing that.    One other thing, is it still stock or have different parts been installed? Anything can happen over 30+ years.

Aside from the wiring, I think it's reasonably stock.  I tried to replace the harness last year and it didn't match at all.  I am the second owner of the car, and the first did all of his own maintenance for 25 years or so. 

Here's a random thought... do you know if there's a way to reverse-look up Raybestos part numbers?   I could then double check and see if these are in fact the wrong parts or if they just don't fit.

[MadDuck]

Do you need front wheel cylinders? Shoes? Let me check the Ate stuff. Raybestos I don't know.

[eltristo]

I have all the shoes and they seem to fit.  I have wheel cyls for front and rear, and they do not.  I think the wife bought them, though it's been so long I can't say for sure, but it might explain wrong parts.

[eltristo]

Research has been done, realizations have been made!

It turns out that the wife did, in fact, buy the parts.  Over a year ago.  After checking the parts numbers vs looking up what parts I need, I see what happened.  She musta gone in, ordered wheel cylinders for a 73 beetle, not superbeetle.  They are different.  Dangit.  At least it should be easy to fix now.  I hope.

[MadDuck]

Research has been done, realizations have been made!

It turns out that the wife did, in fact, buy the parts.  Over a year ago.  After checking the parts numbers vs looking up what parts I need, I see what happened.  She musta gone in, ordered wheel cylinders for a 73 beetle, not superbeetle.  They are different.  Dangit.  At least it should be easy to fix now.  I hope.

That was why I asked the "Superbeetle" question. 

[MadDuck]

Well dang!! --- I just went online with our major supplier in the mainland and they don't even have anything listed for Bugs or Beetles, except the ones that started again in 1998.  Oooops. I'll have to see if  HIP has anything come Monday morning.

[eltristo]

 Thanks for the effort, but I should be able to get them cheap enough around here.  They're only like $15 each, it seems.  And the rears were the same for both models.  I never got that far, as the prescribed method for removing the rear drum was something along the lines of "attach the longest breaker bar you can find to a 36mm socket and jump on it until the nut comes loose"


I didn't have a 36mm or a big breaker bar at the time.  Next try I'll know better.

[DRKWNG]

You could most likely substitute a 12 gauge for the breaker bar and socket...

[eltristo]

You could most likely substitute a 12 gauge for the breaker bar and socket...

perhaps so, but I'd like the thing to still be mobile when I'm done.