GuitarMike

Hi, Got my new front cable installed for the parking brake...freed up the bellcranks and internals, so everything should *click* adjust. Hooked everything up, I get about 17 clicks on the handle. BUT - driver's side bellcrank is coming out to engage as it should....the pass. side is not. I can see the 'equalizer', and it's not really doing anything. There is slack on the pass. side, and none on driver's side (as you can see in pic).

- I am wondering if I am missing some 'tree' or something the cable should go thru on the diff. cover? (see pic) Axle was a swap-in from a different year, BTW. I do NOT remember there being anything there on the old one, but it may have rotted off before I got the truck, LOL!!

- OR - do I just need to adjust back at the intermediate lever until the pass. side cable comes tight? (it has over 1" of play in it right now....driver's side seems like it's operating well).

THEN - when it's all set up, do I just keep cranking the bellcranks until the pads get adjusted enough for the brake to engage and hold the vehicle?

I've looked at the FSM....didn't catch a lot re. the cable 'splitting' into 2, and I have no easy way to measure drum vs. shoe clearance...seems I need to just keep on crankin' once they cable works (?) Thanks!

MudHippy

1. Yes PNC 46420. But it doesn't go there, that's for the brake line stay(which is also missing). There's another bracket more towards the driver's side of the housing that it bolts to.


2. That's what you need to do. Adjust the play at the intermediate lever, like it says in the FSM.

3. After you've made the adjustment to remove the play in the cables, and checked to make sure the bellcrank stopper screw is contacting the backing plate with the brake engaged. THEN the whole thing self-adjusts every time you pull the handle. So pull it and release it several times and it should tighten right up. If not try a couple more.

GuitarMike

Thanks, "Mud"! I do have the 46420, and it's in place (not visible in the photo), so it looks like I have to soak the adjuster nuts in PB for a while! Thought maybe the end of the rubber part of the cable needed to be in 'something'....

I'm guessing that if I loosen the adjustment up, the equalizer will move toward the driver's side, and tighten up the pass. side cable?? Thus far, 1/2 the system is working - that means I'm getting close :o)

Moonfish

You might have to take that swiveler off the axle and clean it up and lube it. Take off the drums and lube up the contact points there and the star adjuster so it all works smoothly. The bellcranks aren't the only part that can rust in place.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Also for it to work correct the brakes must be adjusted up correct if not it will not get tight

After time one learns the feel of the proper amount of drag on the brakes.

Like it was said it is a complete system it all needs to be working correct.

GuitarMike

Thanks, guys...luckily, I did get in the drums already and freed up the linkages....you can work the cranks by hand and watch them adjust. I am not sure about how to get 'just the right amount of drag'....I can hear a trace of drag if I hand-cycle the wheels, and figured "ok, if that's too much drag it will wear off".

I'll get under there and make sure the equalizer (swivel) is free, too -- I just PB'd it yesterday, so it might need more love. Should that thing swivel easily, or require a lot of force?? Right now it is really stiff....hand-bruisingly so.

I think I am getting close - once the stuff moves freely, should'nt take too much more to get it working. I'm having the tank cross-member welded next week, and my mechanic may inspect it then (if it'll pass, LOL).

GuitarMike

Here is sort of a "PS" question, something I am wondering about. It may sound stupid - please bear with me! Same topic, though.

If the cable & bellcrank system are working (mine now seems to be...both bellcranks come all the way out on pulling ebrake handle, but are not causing the shoes to stop the wheels even tho I can hear and have seen the 'advancing system' in the wheel work as you lever the cranks. I've pulled the handle like 25-30 times, no dice)
can you:
- jack up the truck, 1 side at a time;
- place the parking brake "on" (12-17 clicks);
- in neutral, roll the tire and crank the bell crank, causing the shoes to 'come out' and grab the drum until the wheel stops and is locked?
- then do the same for the other wheel?

My thought process says that then releasing the parking brake should free the shoes and everything should be 'normal'. (?) Like I said, dumb question! I'm trying to avoid removing each tire, pulling each drum, and playing games in there. I KNOW the system advances; I've manually done so, and can hear them operating when I lever the cranks by hand. When I put the drums back on, there was just a TAD of drag...had to gently use a rubber mallet to persuade them to seat.
Thanks for input!

andykrow

Are you feeling resistance as you get towards the end of the travel of the parking brake lever? If not, you need to adjust slack out of the system before you do anything else. And yes if the equalizer is that tight that's a problem. You need to free it up so both sides will work.

As for an actual brake adjustment, the stops on the bellcrank are not for shoe adjustment. They only "cam" one shoe to the drum for the parking brake and it has much more travel than the piston.

Adjustment is only done with the racheted barrel thingy inside the drum. When I did my rear brakes at first the pedal took a few pumps to get solid. I reasoned that the pistons needed a few pumps to get the shoes all the way to the drum. At first I pulled and released the parking brake probably fifty times since each pull rachets the barrel adjuster one stop. This wasn't doing anything, so I popped off the access hole by the adjuster and turned them with a screwdriver until I couldn't tighten anymore. This solved the problem and brakes worked perfect after that. And that barrel isn't easy to turn when everything is put together - the springs have a TON of force as I'm sure you already experienced when you did your brakes and the adjuster is pushing against this.

Hope this helps.

GuitarMike

Thanks, Andy....that's what I was lookin' for. I REALLY don't think the shoes are adjusted right, and now I see why (the 'one shoe' thing).

I'll try getting in the access port with the 2 screwdriver trick....I hate to, since it does suck, but it's gotta be done! You say just crank 'em til they really resist, eh? I'll give it a shot....

Wait - I won't need the 2 screwdriver thing, that is to back them off....I should crank them and make them *click*, shouldn't I?! Don't I feel like a dumb@ss, lol.

Hopefully it will balance off against what I've already cranked using the E brake...will know tomorrow!

andykrow

yup you only need one for this. much much easier than loosening the thing since you're pushing "with" the ratchet i.e. on the tooth not the angle part. you'll hear it click. this is exactly what the parking brake does just a lot quicker!

you should do this to be sure your brakes are adjusted for use... but... it probably isn't why your parking brake doesn't work. That parking brake cam has a lot of travel and can move the shoe pretty far. when i was doing my brakes the parking brake grabbed fine but i still needed 2-3 pumps to get the piston to push the shoe far enough. you should be able to jack up a wheel and try to spin it while pulling on the bellcrank. If you can feel it working if you do that your problem is in the equalizer and cable adjustment.

GuitarMike

Thanks, man. At this point, I probably have like Zero rear brakes. I have to get them set....I cranked them in quite a bit to put the drums back on, and didn't get them out enough - thinking of the "self-adjusting" nature of the Yota, LOL.
Not THAT self-adjusting, it seems!!!

Since all the E brake stuff is at least free, this should come together thanks to the info everyone's chipped in! I didn't know you have to actually crank the shoes 'tight' by the adjuster...the FSM says to "adjust to barely touch", etc. I assumed since the drums had to slide over the shoes kind of tight that the self-adjustment would be enuff.....nope!

andykrow

I think something to keep in mind is that the very edge of the drum isn't contacted by the shoe and therefore is less worn and slightly smaller diameter so it will give some resistance. Also, I know from removing the drums that it's basically impossible to get them off without really backing that adjuster down a lot. Stands to reason if the shoes are in the right spot it would be basically impossible to get the drum back on.

It would be nice if yotas adjusted when using the brakes in reverse like lots of other drum brake designs. oh well, just have to remember to use the parking brake regularly!

GuitarMike

Awesome point, Andy. That makes perfect sense. When I took the old ones (drums) off, I had to pound them with a rubber mallet...and they would NOT come off. Even with a crowbar..... So (not looking at the FSM, noobie!) I used the 'bolt trick'....and cracked both drums taking them off. THEN I backed the shoes way in!

Got new drums with the axle I bought and installed with a (Toyota tech) friend for $100. He is making me finish the job so I will learn on my own, and also because he lives a ways away. I hope to have this all set by early next week, when the truck goes in for a weld. Mechanic will double-check my work, anyway, ha ha.

Man, those old drums were on TIGHT! And this explains why, duh! lol

GuitarMike

Hey, great, ok! We've got E brake! Holds on about 6 clicks, and the parking brake light is now out :o) It releases normally, no apparent sticking. I tightened up the 'stars' all the way on both sides as suggested....there WAS quite a bit of play. It was easy to do.

OK - new issue. I took a brief cruise. My brakes are now mint - stop on a dime like they say. Love 'em. Except.....after 25-30 mph, I start hearing the sound of something like dragging an old-fashioned, metal-wheeled roller skate or a chain or something, coming from my driver's rear drum. (?????) I dunno what it is, but it's annoying! Loud, almost as bad as if an exhaust part were dragging. More metallic than just a shoe dragging. The drum on that side is getting pretty warm, too, compared to the other side.

I suppose all that's left is to now BACK OFF the adjuster on that side a little and try another cruise...if that doesn't do it, I'll probably have to pull the drum to see what the heck's going on....don't THINK I dropped any bolts in there or anything!!

Arrrrgh......anyone have this happen, maybe have some ideas??
Thanks! Getting so close I can taste the freedom of the open road.....Yota Tech rules!

GuitarMike

AAARRRRRGGHHHH!!!
Update: seems that 2 guys put a third member in this truck last month (gee, wonder who? lol) - and the little flange cover thing at the front of the pig? They forgot to stake it in place, and it worked free...was bouncing off the driveshaft nuts - sounded like @ss!!!!!!!!!!!!

Found it by getting the wife to drive by me (her contribution to the Yota project, ha ha). Checked it by duct taping it and driving - fine, no noise. So there we go.

Overall, the drum adjustment and setting up the E brake was very easy - the troubles were a totally different and inconsequential thing!! Thanks YotaTech gurus for the information and help with this! All adjusted, stopping on a dime, and noise-free now!

andykrow

NICE!! Glad it worked out for you.

Do you mean the actual flange that the pinion nut holds down? I'm all my third members the dust cover thing as been part of that flange, and you stake the pinion nut itself.

GuitarMike

Well, it's the dust cover, Andy...everything inside is staked the way it should be. My old cover was rotted off, so my buddy pulled one out of his 'rear end kit', probably for a Taco or something, after we redid the oil pinion seal....slightly larger diameter and not as deep. So 'staking' it to fit on well didn't work out. It can roll free, and seems to 'float' up at about 25mph to contact the flange that the driveshaft attaches to (rrrrrrap rrratatatatatattat tat tat tat ping rap rap ping.....you get the gist). Sounded like 1) nuts in a hubcap or 2) my differential gears destroying themselves.....

I just beat the crap out of it trying to get it set in place, but it won't go. No worries - when it comes back from the welder, I will fill the cover up with permatex and 'glue' it on for the winter, LOL. When we replaced the oil pinion in this pig - consensus was that it's on borrowed time...my friend has the old one off his rig (he put lockers in) I am going to install in the spring, so shouldn't be a problem! I'm wondering if it acts up again if I shouldn't just cut it off, since I plan to deep 6 the pig in 6 mos anyway....think the lack of that dust cover would cause premature death before then?

Good news is that I was forced to pull my drums like 3 times now, and use the star adjuster/pawl setup, LOL. I'm now an expert on the E brake, and maybe I can help someone else on here down the road!!! ROTFLMAO!