Adjusting rear brakes
02-05-2003, 02:23 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: LA, CA
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Adjusting rear brakes
Sorry for another post about this topic, but I had some more questions. Sorry, I'm not very mechanically inclined either. I can do stereos but car maintenence isn't my forte 
but I want to learn!
The reversing and pulling the e-brake thing doesn't work for me anymore, and the brakes were obviously never correctly adjusted by Longo nor Irvine Toyota because I'm about to go through my second pair of front brake pads and I haven't even replaced the rears yet :pat:
Can you adjust the rear brakes w/o lifting the rear end up? I don't have a jack or jackstands, and I don't really have access to any, but I want to adjust the rear myself because I don't trust any of the stealers around here to do it correctly.
I know/think I'm supposed to pop a oval plug off (plug 1 in the pic), and then turn the adjustment wheel, but I wanted to make sure which plug because the rubber seems a little brittle and seems like it was going to crack a little. I didn't want to put wear and tear on the wrong plug.
Also, can I just follow the directions below? I don't know what generation he's talking about, and I have a 3rd gen. Is it the same for all 3 (or 4) generations?
Is there anything else I should/can adjust while I'm down there?
Out of curiosity, what are the two bottom plugs in the pic for?
Thanks for your time and help!!!
I'm going off this post off 4x4wire by Sparman (Sorry for the cross-post reference)
but I want to learn!The reversing and pulling the e-brake thing doesn't work for me anymore, and the brakes were obviously never correctly adjusted by Longo nor Irvine Toyota because I'm about to go through my second pair of front brake pads and I haven't even replaced the rears yet :pat:
Can you adjust the rear brakes w/o lifting the rear end up? I don't have a jack or jackstands, and I don't really have access to any, but I want to adjust the rear myself because I don't trust any of the stealers around here to do it correctly.
I know/think I'm supposed to pop a oval plug off (plug 1 in the pic), and then turn the adjustment wheel, but I wanted to make sure which plug because the rubber seems a little brittle and seems like it was going to crack a little. I didn't want to put wear and tear on the wrong plug.
Also, can I just follow the directions below? I don't know what generation he's talking about, and I have a 3rd gen. Is it the same for all 3 (or 4) generations?
Is there anything else I should/can adjust while I'm down there?
Out of curiosity, what are the two bottom plugs in the pic for?
Thanks for your time and help!!!
I'm going off this post off 4x4wire by Sparman (Sorry for the cross-post reference)
Ryan -
Jack the truck up and place on jack stands.
Pull the rubber access plug off the backing plate, it's right under the brake fluid line and is oval in shape.
If you peer in with a flash light you will see the teeth on the adjustment wheel. Use a screwdriver and turn the wheel top to bottom - this direction moves the shoes out closer to the drum, and makes a ratcheting sound.
Bottom to top moves the shoes in from the drum and doesn't make the ratcheting sound.
Just bring the shoes out until there is resistance, then back them off until the resisitance just goes away.
That's it - it's really very simple once you get yourself positioned behind the wheel, locate the plug, and orient the direction of the adjuster.
Jack the truck up and place on jack stands.
Pull the rubber access plug off the backing plate, it's right under the brake fluid line and is oval in shape.
If you peer in with a flash light you will see the teeth on the adjustment wheel. Use a screwdriver and turn the wheel top to bottom - this direction moves the shoes out closer to the drum, and makes a ratcheting sound.
Bottom to top moves the shoes in from the drum and doesn't make the ratcheting sound.
Just bring the shoes out until there is resistance, then back them off until the resisitance just goes away.
That's it - it's really very simple once you get yourself positioned behind the wheel, locate the plug, and orient the direction of the adjuster.
02-05-2003, 06:39 PM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: El Paso, TX
Posts: 1,705
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You don't have to jack up the rear tires (although that helps to determine when the drums are coming into adjustment). Here's how:
1. Park the truck. Chock the front tire.
2. Do not apply the parking brake.
3. Slide under the rear with a long straight screwdriver.
4. Remove the rubber cover for the adjustment wheel.
5. The adjustment wheel will only turn in one direction to tighten - to loosen you must insert a second screw driver and lift a bar to back the wheel up
6. Count the clicks - when mine was that far off adjustment took 10 clicks
7. Make sure you adjust both sides the same amount of clicks - you don't want one side braking more than the other
8. Go around the block and assess whether you need to repeat the process
9. Now that its in adjustment applying the parking brake will adjust the brakes for you
1. Park the truck. Chock the front tire.
2. Do not apply the parking brake.
3. Slide under the rear with a long straight screwdriver.
4. Remove the rubber cover for the adjustment wheel.
5. The adjustment wheel will only turn in one direction to tighten - to loosen you must insert a second screw driver and lift a bar to back the wheel up
6. Count the clicks - when mine was that far off adjustment took 10 clicks
7. Make sure you adjust both sides the same amount of clicks - you don't want one side braking more than the other
8. Go around the block and assess whether you need to repeat the process
9. Now that its in adjustment applying the parking brake will adjust the brakes for you
02-06-2003, 05:59 PM
#3
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: LA, CA
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the info Victor!
Well, I parked the truck, released the parking brake, grabbed my long flathead, took the top plug out, peered into the hole, and had no clue what I was looking at or looking for :pat:
I see in this picture what wheel I'm supposed to be adjusting
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/4Runne...s/IM000237.JPG
but I don't see anything that looks like that when I peer in. Maybe I gotta get my head up higher next to the drum. I'm looking into the hole from behind the tire (lying under the spare). Does that make a difference or can it only be seen from in front of the tire?
Thanks!
Well, I parked the truck, released the parking brake, grabbed my long flathead, took the top plug out, peered into the hole, and had no clue what I was looking at or looking for :pat:
I see in this picture what wheel I'm supposed to be adjusting
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/4Runne...s/IM000237.JPG
but I don't see anything that looks like that when I peer in. Maybe I gotta get my head up higher next to the drum. I'm looking into the hole from behind the tire (lying under the spare). Does that make a difference or can it only be seen from in front of the tire?
Thanks!
02-07-2003, 12:26 PM
#4
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: LA, CA
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
nevermind. I got it! For future reference and anyone doing a search for this post, on 3rd gens (well, at least on mine), bottom to top clicks (brings brakes closer to drum), and top to bottom doesn't click (moves them away). It took about 20-25 clicks until mine had resistance so they were way off. Feels like a new truck again! I had gotten so used to the nosediving that I thought it was normal :pat:
02-08-2003, 07:12 PM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: El Paso, TX
Posts: 1,705
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Glad it worked. When I do my Downey lift soon in the rear I'm going to open up the rear brakes and see if they are about finished - might as well. My brakes are working great now but not too long ago they were way out of adjustment too.
Trending Topics
08-19-2005, 11:39 AM
#10
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: boston, ma
Posts: 607
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
how many clicks does your e-brake go until there's a noticeable change in resistance?
this wasn't directed to me, but i just read the whole thread, and i am curious as well, since i have 140,500 on the 4runner right now, and have never needed to do rear brakes yet. i recently noticed the e-brake being a little soft. it takes a good 6-8 clicks to get it to hold. i think i may go ahead and attempt the adjustment myself. so on both sides, it is rotate up to tighten, correct? and stop as soon as pressure is felt? then test drive and be happy, right?
this wasn't directed to me, but i just read the whole thread, and i am curious as well, since i have 140,500 on the 4runner right now, and have never needed to do rear brakes yet. i recently noticed the e-brake being a little soft. it takes a good 6-8 clicks to get it to hold. i think i may go ahead and attempt the adjustment myself. so on both sides, it is rotate up to tighten, correct? and stop as soon as pressure is felt? then test drive and be happy, right?
Last edited by bflooks; 08-19-2005 at 11:41 AM. Reason: my stupidity
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RedRunner_87
95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners (Build-Up Section)
84
06-01-2021 01:51 PM
