# Citi Golf (Mk 1) 1.4 2006 - Excessive Brake Pedal Travel



## Rhythm (Oct 19, 2010)

The foot brake pedal has excessive travel before the brakes engage. The hand brake is O/K three clicks and holds. I suspect that the excessive brake pedal travel is due to the _*self-adjusting wedge*_ in the _*rear drum brakes*_ not working properly. When the brake pedal is depressed, one can clearly hear the springs inside the drum stretching - suggesting excessive movement of the brake shoes. I had removed the drums and checked the brake shoes - they are still good -only did 30 000KM. There is nothing amiss, no rust, etc. When I removed the brake drums, they came out quite easily - not even the slightest friction with the brake shoes. The brake system was flushed and there is no air/moisture in the system. My conclusion is that the self-adjusting wedge is not working properly.

My questions: (1) What causes the self-adjusting wedge not to work? (2) How can this be remedied? (3) Is there a way to "manually" adjust the brake shoes?

Any assistance will be appreciated.


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## germancarnut51 (Mar 23, 2008)

If the parking brake is tight on three clicks, and you dodn't adjust the parking brakes to get this to happen, (the parking brakes are adjusting coorect by them selves), then the problem is not in the cables, parking brake or the wedge.

The problem is probably a worn-out master cylinder.


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## Rhythm (Oct 19, 2010)

germancarnut51 said:


> If the parking brake is tight on three clicks, *and you dodn't adjust the parking brakes to get this to happen*, (the parking brakes are adjusting coorect by them selves), then the problem is not in the cables, parking brake or the wedge.
> 
> The problem is probably a worn-out master cylinder.


In fact, the parking brakes did not adjust by themselves. The parking brakes moved up to about five clicks and the VW dealership manually adjusted the parking brakes by tightening the cables.

Also, if the parking brake is applied, the brake pedal feels OK, ie. much less travel. This makes me believe that if the brake linings are brought closer to the brake drum, then the brake pedal traavel will be OK. The thing that will make this happen is if the adjuster wedge sets itself correctly.

Another advice I was given: (1) loosen the parking brake cables completely (2) then, press firmly on the brake pedal (this might activate the adjuster wedge as there will be no cable tension on it). Don't know if this will work and what's the logic behind it. But I'll also try this in the next few days... nothing to lose.


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