bamayote

hey all, thanx for reading. i'm gonna try to make this short. 99 tacoma 4x4 202k miles on it.
the probs started with a low pedal. it was time for front pads so i changed them with oem's. no probs there, routine quick change, but i still had a low pedal. took the drums off and the rear drum pads were toast. changed those and my pedal came back like a champ. i'd adjusted those by hand. my dad said he thought i might need to replace the adjusters, but i was crunched for time so i thought i'd replace them later.
probs started about 1k miles later, while driving it would feel like a brake was hanging. i could pull the emer brake lever and the problem went away. however, this got worse over the next day or two. so bad that i barely limped it back to the house one day when i was only a mile away.
i replaced the adjusters this week. having a little trouble getting them adjusted, but from what i've read it may take a little while with the "reverse/brake lever" method.
any suggestions as to the adjustments? i kinda hesitate adjusting them by hand again fearing i'm doin something wrong. when i adjusted them by hand i barely got them tight the wheels would spin freely, but you could tell the pads were in contact with the drum.
thanx so much! dangit............ it's a long one sorry!
cya
brad

Localmotion

man...paragraph seperation please!!!!! That is almost impossible to read!

do you have any brake line leaks?

I would say adjusting by hand and the brake would be similiar in results.

bamayote

shoot........ i forgot to ask.


has anyone ever had this experience? a low pedal when the vehicle is cold, but after driving for 15-20 min the pedal comes up? like a good solid high pedal?
wierd huh? i'm gonna bleed them today to see if i've got some bad fluid in the calipers. it's almost as if the calipers are expanding.
cya
brad

SLC97SR5

Fresh fluid helped my sqiushy pedal. I repalced my LR axle seal this weekend accompanied by some fresh pads and it took FOREVER to bleed the brakes. I went through a big 32oz bottle of DOT3 to make sure I got out all the air. If your adjusters look ok and you unscrewed them to lube and clean them then they should be fine. I've never seen them need replacing unless they some how get freakishly bent. Did you scuff the drum prior to replacing the shoes?

bamayote

thanx ya'll. sorry about the paragraph seperations. i had them seperated while typing, but they all ran together when i posted. sorry.



anywhoo....... i replaced the adjusters cause dad said the star wheel looked chewed up. i usually go by his opinion cause he's a wrench head from way way back.


i checked all the lines when i replaced the pads and they're premo. i also blew all the dust out of the drums, and inspected for seal leaks. all checked out good.


here's an update. when out and pumped the devil out of the brake handle and i think i'm getting there. i can notice a little difference, well, enough of a differnce to write about. and the brake actually holds the truck from moving now.

i'll keep an update.


i really really appreciate the info for an admitted lurker like me. i love reading all the info here. i'm not enough of a guru to start offering advice......... i'll get there!

cya
brad

bamayote

slc........... no i didnt scuff the drum.


hmmm never heard that one.

thanx!

Localmotion

could it be a bad master cylinder?

bamayote

i've thought about that. i had to replace it at 100k. it was bypassing badly. this rebuilt has been workin fine so far.


any thoughts as to why the brake would have engaged while driving in the first place?

Localmotion

so is the rear sticking?

My rears stuck when I had a bad cylinder(inside the drum). they also stuck when I had my axle seal leak

bamayote

yeah it was the rears......... when i got home that day i jacked the front up and the wheels turned freely. jacked the rear up and the passenger was stuck.

i've just never heard of them "expanding" while driving. seemed like if i wasnt goin over 40mph they got tighter and tighter.

thanx so much for all the advice man!

Localmotion

oh wow, Ive never heard of that either. I would take it to a mechanic and see wahts up. That sounds dangerous.

Welcome!