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69 Sprite drum brake adjuster

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Upland

Upland

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I had my drums off the other day and for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to move the adjuster to loosen or tighten the pads. How does that work?
Upland
 
If you look at the pic you will see that the adjuster (threaded part) works like a wedge pushing the pad further apart.

brake adjust.JPG


More instructions here, but basically (from the back) you wind it in until the hub no longer turns then wind it back until it just does.

http://www.spridgetguru.com/TA0045.html

It is also worth (eventually) buying a brake wrench for this - not expensive and so much easier.
 
Wind it in until yiu hear the shoes just barely start to scrape when you rotate the wheels than back off a smidgeon. Oh and BTW - if this car has set for a long time, chances are this adjuster may be frozen up. Some heat and PB Blaster will help to gt it unstuck. A 1/4" or 3/8" wrench is needed. Easy to round off the square head so use the correct wrench. And I swear I one of these on one LBC that had a metric square head on it.
 
I will second the rusted on, and that was my first thought when I read the original post. How does this thing work since nothing seems to want to move. Yeah, heat and PBBlaster, I seem to recall Spridget adjusters being bad offenders for getting corroded on. Is also easy to round the corners if stuck or the wrench doesn't fit right.
 
Keep with PB Blaster for several days, keep applying, “Patience Grasshopper” or your will totally F it up. Several more days of PB Blaster or whoever is your favorite deruster and then get out the propane torch. That will likely fix it. Oh and order 2 new adjusting screws.
 
All your info was really helpful, I'm kinda embarrassed to say I was thinking it adjusted from the front of the plate, and couldn't figure out how to move it!
 
Upland said:
All your info was really helpful, I'm kinda embarrassed to say I was thinking it adjusted from the front of the plate, and couldn't figure out how to move it!
Click to expand...

we've all made those kind of assumptions - which is why this forum is so great - we all remember when we were new (mostly :) ) in the answering of questions.

:cheers:
 
When working on a car with an offending adjuster and other brake work that needs doing i take those adjusters out and clean everything really well before re-assembling them with Never seize. A Liberal coating and you never have trouble again.
 
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