My '85 has the smooth cylindrical metal handle, no finger grips; also, it has a molded elastomer boot with corrugations. (I've seen pictures of later model setups....no, that is not mine.)

    On Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at 12:28:30 PM PDT, Mark Drillock <madvws@cox.net> wrote:  
 
 When everything is in good shape with the rear brakes no periodic 
adjustment of the hand brake should be needed.

Which parking brake lever/handle do you have?

During the 85 model year a much improved one was phased in.

The 85+ later one has a hand grip piece molded for fingers.

That is just an easy way to identify the later version, the other 
improvements it offers are more significant.

Mark

On 8/31/2022 12:15 PM, Richard Koerner wrote:
> I am getting ready for a 2,500 mile Vanagon trek from San Diego to Northern Oregon and back.  (Tintop, '85, manual, stock brakes, 292K miles). My parking brake seems to need adjustment.  Crawling under, of course I see the yoke with a solid rod from parking brake lever, and then diverges to two solid rods which go to rear drum brakes.  Yes....I see adjusting nut and threads....they are all rust free.  I investigated The Samba.  But am still unclear.  Do I just move the adjusting nut a few threads?  Or does the "magic" happen inside of the Rear brake drums?  I am scheduled to do all 4 wheel brake job with new everything (but keeping everything stock, no Big Brake stuff); my mechanic (even though he has all the parts in boxes in his shop) has been under the weather lately and rebuild might be a few months away; of course he would do a premier install and adjustment of all components in system.  But in the meantime, I'd like to get things adjusted properly; as it is, it takes a full 4 clicks on lever to make things happen, and they don't feel that strong (will avoid parking in San Francisco)...just barely works on a slope of any degree.