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Adjusting drum brakes
- Thread starter kevlin
- Start date
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Did you turn or true the brake drums? That may be necessary to provide the proper contact between the shoes and the drum. For adjusting drum brakes, I tighten the adjuster until I feel resistence when spinning or turning the wheel. Then I back off on the adjuster a couple of clicks. If the wheels are not adjusted approximately the same, you will notice pulling to one side or the other as that brake will be applied earlier than the one on the opposite wheel. Of course bleeding the brake lines, starting with the farthest from the brake fluid reservoir will eliminate any air that might be in the brake lines.
Lynn Kirkpatrick
Jedi Hopeful
Offline
To adjust drum brakes you need to turn the adjuster until you feel the brakes are dragging when you rotate the tire, and then KEEP TURNING the Adjuster until you CANNOT turn the wheel. Then back the adjuster off until minimal drag is felt when turning the wheel. The reason to adjust so tight is to get both shoes pushing against the drum. If you only adjust until you feel drag, only one shoe may be contacting the drum. Be sure to lube (WD 40?) the adjusting screw, in case our friend oxidation has been at work. Be careful not to round the corners on the adjusting screw. A socket or boxend wrench with a square opening (Moss P/N 386-160, or equivalent) is best to use.
Good Luck.
Good Luck.
CraigFL
Jedi Trainee
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
To adjust drum brakes you need to turn the adjuster until you feel the brakes are dragging when you rotate the tire, and then KEEP TURNING the Adjuster until you CANNOT turn the wheel. Then back the adjuster off until minimal drag is felt when turning the wheel. The reason to adjust so tight is to get both shoes pushing against the drum. If you only adjust until you feel drag, only one shoe may be contacting the drum. Be sure to lube (WD 40?) the adjusting screw, in case our friend oxidation has been at work. Be careful not to round the corners on the adjusting screw. A socket or boxend wrench with a square opening (Moss P/N 386-160, or equivalent) is best to use.
Good Luck.
[/ QUOTE ]
It is VERY important to adjust until the rear wheels lock hard. The adjuster is set up as a four sided "cam". As you turn it the peak of the cam pushes the shoes into the drum. When you back off the adjustment, it will almost click when it comes off the high part of the cam(onto the flat part) giving you the extra clearance you need for running.
To adjust drum brakes you need to turn the adjuster until you feel the brakes are dragging when you rotate the tire, and then KEEP TURNING the Adjuster until you CANNOT turn the wheel. Then back the adjuster off until minimal drag is felt when turning the wheel. The reason to adjust so tight is to get both shoes pushing against the drum. If you only adjust until you feel drag, only one shoe may be contacting the drum. Be sure to lube (WD 40?) the adjusting screw, in case our friend oxidation has been at work. Be careful not to round the corners on the adjusting screw. A socket or boxend wrench with a square opening (Moss P/N 386-160, or equivalent) is best to use.
Good Luck.
[/ QUOTE ]
It is VERY important to adjust until the rear wheels lock hard. The adjuster is set up as a four sided "cam". As you turn it the peak of the cam pushes the shoes into the drum. When you back off the adjustment, it will almost click when it comes off the high part of the cam(onto the flat part) giving you the extra clearance you need for running.
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I've found it useful to give the brake pedal a few full-on pushes after turning the adjusters to contact to "seat" both sides' shoes, then go back and "final adjust" using the "turn 'til lockup, back off 'til contact" method described above.
The front pads are essentially "self-adjusting". Calipers will have a "neutral" position without pressure from the master cylinder, allowing the wheel to rotate with the pads at a "just touching" or "contact " position. If there's resistance beyond being able to rotate the wheel by hand there may be a caliper/piston hanging up. Relative pad wear (all pads should be approximately the same thickness throughout their lifespan) will give visual evidence of caliper problems.
The front pads are essentially "self-adjusting". Calipers will have a "neutral" position without pressure from the master cylinder, allowing the wheel to rotate with the pads at a "just touching" or "contact " position. If there's resistance beyond being able to rotate the wheel by hand there may be a caliper/piston hanging up. Relative pad wear (all pads should be approximately the same thickness throughout their lifespan) will give visual evidence of caliper problems.