Alin10123

I know that you are suppose to adjust the drum brakes until you hear/feel slight rubbing and then back off a hair. Well... i was fiddling around with which direction to turn the adjuster. Before i knew it, i couldn't even get the wheel to turn anymore. I think i adjust WAY too tight and there's only one way to adjust now. I think that one way is tighter and tighter. No clue on how to get it to loosen.

I tried to read through some of the "maintenance" section on brakes. But those only say to adjust. They dont actually say physically how to adjust.

Any help is appreciated. Right now the truck is stitting on jackstands in the rear.

wrenchmonster

Hummm. Sounds like your automatic adjuster is hanging you up. Look on the back side of the adjuster wheel and see if you have a little lever that essentially locks the adjuster wheel into place. Force the adjuster lever back and you should be able to adjust the little wheel in either direction.

By the way, the automatic adjuster is tied into the parking brake system. As you apply the parking brake, and as the shoes wear out, the parking brake will apply the adjuster lever and in turn, advance the adjuster wheel on your drum brakes. This allows the parking brake to maintain its hold regardless of the wear on your shoes.

-Wrench

shovelhead

use a piece of coathanger, welding rod,etc to go in through the adjuster hole and move the self adjuster lock out of the way while backing off the adjuster

Alin10123

Shovelhead,
THANK YOU! I tried this out and it worked. I appreciate the help. It scared the crap out of me. I thought i was going to have to tow the truck to the stealer and have them adjust the brakes.

But i took your advice and it worked.

thanks again.

4RUNR

Philosophical question: Why adjust something that has an automatic adjuster?

Alin10123

Hmm... i dunno... i've just always heard of people "adjusting" their rear brakes.
Is it actualy not neccessary? and it should adjust back automatically even if i adjust them too loose right?

thanks

Rick F.

There were some previous threads about pumping the e-brake while coasting in reverse to adjust the brakes. I't seems to work for me. Is there a better way to adjust them w/o manually setting the adjuster?