Rear brake drums (early vs late bay)

[VeeDubMan]

Just stripped down my rear brakes on my '71 to try and figure out why the adjuster had to almost be wound out all the way for the shoes to be effective. There's plenty of material left on them so I can only assume an issue with the wheel cylinder.

Got me thinking though, looking at the parts on https://www.justkampers.com/vw-t2-b...drums-wheel-cylinders-backing-plates.html?p=1, what is the actual difference between early bay rear brakes and late bay? And I'm talking small 5 stud here. Looks like backing plate is the same (1970-1979), drum is the same (1971-1979) and then there's a selection of shoes that seem to span the years '70-'79 with corresponding spreader bars and wheel cylinders. This would seem to indicate that the correct shoe choice is just down to what cylinders and spreader bar you have in place already.

Does that sound correct?

 

[ozziedog]

Sounds almost right, the only fly in the ointment there I think is the backing plates are slightly different earlier on, 67s , 68s , 69 + 70 , then the stuff you’re on about ^^^ . Same with the shoes. While you have it apart, can you measure everything as in min and max shoe spread and the inside of your drum what you got etc, plus the shoe widths are a little different through the years. But they didn’t change stuff just for the sake of it, either to reduce cost or improve performance or both. But it does sound like you could do with a little more meat on the shoe where the adjuster hits the shoe cutout, any excess wear in either of those ?

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,, Just scratching for ideas bud. :mrgreen:

 

[VeeDubMan]

Yeah, I was only on about 71 onwards (small 5 stud pattern). I know the early stuff is different anyway. Just seems that given '71 onwards has one backing plate option and one drum option then shoe choice is purely down to what wheel cylinder and spreader bar you have already.