[Vwdiesel] brakes locking up PROGRESS

[Doyt W. Echelberger]

The problem has taken a new twist:   The 85 Jetta TD front brake lock up 
turned out to be a faulty brake booster. It wouldn't completely release 
boost pressure when you took your foot off the brake pedal. And the 
replacement booster units are very expensive....hundreds of bucks. New plan 
is to remove the booster and simply going with manual brakes....new brake 
MC attached to firewall where booster bolted on.

That's the plan. All comments appreciated. If it isn't a good plan, please 
set me straight.

If anybody has a Jetta or Rabbit car with un-boosted brakes, tell be how 
hard you have to push on the pedal to get it stopped. Maybe I better spend 
the couple hundred and get a new booster.

This old diesel is such a fine car that I would regret having to let it go.

Doyt Echelberger

 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Original Problem:
About two months ago my aging 85 Jetta TD developed a brake problem. I'd 
drive it about 5 miles and then the front brakes started dragging and 
making the engine labor. The front hubs got hot and were smoking, and I had 
to stop driving the car and let everything cool down.  This problem 
developed on the test drive after replacing the head gasket, which may only 
be incidental.  Same brake problem showed up about 6 months ago, and I 
swapped in a new master cylinder and the problem went away.

OK, I did some easy fixes....  First, I replaced the master cylinder. It 
was still under warranty and the replacement was free, so I just did it. 
That stopped the passenger side front brake problem, but the driver side 
front brake just kept on locking up.  "I'm gonna fix that," (sez I).....and 
replaced the caliper and both the hard line and the flexible hose on that 
side.   It didn't change anything except the thickness of my wallet.

Driver front brake still locks up after driving about 5 miles.

So, all the easy answers seem to be used up.   I'm obviously overlooking 
something....probably obvious to someone....or at least I hope so.     Help.

Doyt Echelberger
old guy in Ohio