Trabant Tech Forum

The drums/ hubs that need a special puller go on a tapered stub shaft with 36mm nut ,the type that does NOT need a puller go on splined stub shaft with 32mm nut. Very easy to tell the difference ( just measure the hub nut)

The stubs on all 4 of my wheels have a 36 mm nut. Had to head to the parts house to pick up the right socket and got them off no problem. Got the rear drums (which were slotted and did not require the puller) off no problem via the remounted tire tug trick. The fronts were not slotted and required the puller, which fortunately came with the car. Just trying to figure why the front/rear drums were swapped at some point.

By slotted do you mean the circular groove that the factory puller grips ? The factory puller is the best .The type that bolts onto wheel lugs isn't a good idea it might work but can equally well distort the hub flange
http://www.ebay.de/itm/alter-DDR-Radnabenabzieher-Abzieher-Trabant-/231861242005?hash=item35fc01c895:g:0l0AAOSwNSxVHlHG

No, the two drums I took off the rear are cut with cooling slots between the lug studs and outer walls. I've read in earlier brake related posts that the front drums are supposed to be slotted to help with cooling, but on mine there were no slots. The puller I've got is the same as in your link and worked great.

Ah in that case I don't know. Perhaps you know already but be very careful with the front wheel cylinders they are handed left and right and it is very easy to mix them up. Other tip is to dismantle the new cylinders and give them a coat inside of brake grease. This will help prevent them seizing and sticking. The stuff you get in UK is called 'red rubber grease' but I guess you can get an American equivalent .(I don't mean regular grease or copper grease)

Sounds like someone accidentally put the fronts on the rears. Otherwise the drums are interchangeable but not the hub's the drums attach to. I found Trabant brakes the most difficult to service because most of the parts are not symmetrical so they can be accidentally bolted to the wrong thing. As far as Castrol red rubber grease. I use Dow Corning valve and O ring lubricant on my brakes.

Mbeamish and Turbofiat, thanks for the advice! Once reassembly is in sight, I'll put the fronts/rears back where they're intended. I've got some Dow Corning Molykote 111 for the cylinder lubrication. So far, not one brake line fitting has come off without rounding off and eventually having to be cut. A frustrating Saturday is nigh, but hopefully I'll be back on the road soon!

I believe I had to break the rears off in the old wheel cylinders but plenty of PB Blaster soaked overnight usually works.

If you do a search on brakes you will find some good photos Phi posted when I was doing my brake job concerning where the correct pieces go. Here are some links:

http://trabantforums.com/threads/brake-change-help.1252/page-2#post-8069

http://trabantforums.com/threads/trabant-brake-service.1141/#post-6801

http://trabantforums.com/threads/brake-overhaul-is-finally-done.1287/#post-8109


If you buy the "kit" from TrabantWelt you'll notice everything is in little baggies and is unlabeled. Don't do what I did and start opening them!

It's best to start with one wheel, remove each component and then compare to one that looks identical.

If I recall the rear wheel cylinders (one per wheel) are symmetrical.
The friction material on the shoe with the parking brake mechanism is shorter than the other one
The self adjusters are different from front to back (ones are longer than the others)
Upper front wheel cylinder is the same as the lower wheel cylinder on the opposite wheel (and vice versa), I think....
Front shoes are also not symmetrical.

Those threads you referenced are invaluable. I've been reading them and rereading them to psych myself up for this process while waiting for my TrabantWelt parcel.

Didn't get everything done yet, but the rears are accomplished at least. The fiddliest bit seemed to be reattaching the parking brake. Hopefully today I can make good progress on the fronts/master replacement. As I'm doing a total system upgrade, is it acceptable to change to DOT 5 brake fluid? I noticed TrabantWelt sells DOT 5, so I'm taking that as a sign that I can pick some up at the capitalist parts house domestically. I sure would like a non corrosive choice.

The authorities here have proposed a new 5 year MOT rule for cars between 35 and 50 years old that are deemed to be worth preserving.

EDIT the proposed rule change is for cars between 30 and 50 years old. After 50 years old the cars are exempt from MOT tests. So my VW bus will be exempt from 2022.

At the moment my Trabant is classed as such a car, (and will be 35 years old from 2017). I am only allowed to use it for special occasions (meets etc) or as long as it doesn't impede the flow of traffic. The second condition is a convenient get out for me (and others) as the Trabant can easily hit 80km/h which is the maximum speed in most places in Norway and is happy a 90km/h. I don't mind the change in the rules as long as they keep that clause in.

I really hope they don't try to bring a similar system to the UK . I use my wartburg every day in summer and would not welcome any restriction. I already get free road tax as it's over 40 years old. A lot of European countries seem to have cheap tax/registration but it comes with a price of restricted use

This rule is fine, so long as there's also an option to keep a car in daily use, using normal MOT regulations - I believe in Germany you can keep a classic on regular plates and comply with normal rules, or put it on 'historic' plates, with restrictions.

Yes but I think if have your german classic on normal plates then you can't drive it in a lot of city centres. There are a huge number of people in UK who use classics as normal everyday cars . I for one don't own a modern car