I just replaced the shoes on my 87 runner today. The parking brake works well but the pedal is soft and i have to push it down pretty far, definitely worse than before.
Now, i did NOT bleed the system. I don't have any fluid at my house right now so didn't do it.
I am guessing this is the cause? what else would do it? perhaps the self-adjuster? I replaced the parts and understand how the brakes work but only in the most basic sense so tell me the simple stuff or direct me somewhere.
i was using the search but there were soooo many threads to filter through
thanks
charlie

 

YES, BLEED THE BRAKES!!!

With air still in the lines you WILL have a soft pedal, as the air will compress and keep pressure from building

and just as well, you need to adjust them out too, otherwise you'll find yourself pumping the brakes to get them to grab, even with no air in the system

 

definitely bleed the brake system- left rear, right rear, left front, right front then load sensing proportioning bypass valve (LSP-BV)- the valve by the rear axle with the arm that extends to the left side of the rear axle.
and make sure you have a 'little' drag on the rear shoes when they're adjusted. if you get close, you might be able to get them a little more well adjusted by pulling and releasing the parking brake handle several times.

 

sweet that makes sense.
thanks for the quick replies, i'll take care of that tomorrow

 

All he did was replace the shoes though?? Where did the air come from? I would stick a screwdriver in the back and adjust them. The self adjusters are not that good at taking up a lot of slack.

 

I've seen worn (not bad) wheel cyinders in some cases, spring out a little just when removing the shoes, and they pull a little air in

they don't leak fluid or anything, they just let some air into the system the when internal spring pushes the 2 cylinders in them out some

rarely happens, but it wouldn't be the first time I've heard of it


but yeah, I did over-read the fact that he didn't mention anything about opening up the fluid system

 

You can adjust the rear brakes by grabbing the parking brake levers behind each rear wheel and 'ratcheting' them a zillion times. This will cause the self-adjusters to do their thing. You'll feel them get tight when it's adjusted properly.

 

yea that was why i wasn't planning on bleeding the brakes since no air was supposed to get in, in my mind. I'll try adjusting the adjusters and see if i can't get a better result then bleed the brakes.

 

good tip; I sat in the seat must have pulled might freek'n e-brake lever a billion times to adjust them out the first time I did my brakes. then when I did the rear wheel bearings a year later, I was like "wow, I think I can accomplish the same thing just by pulling this lever a bunch of times"

 

yea i saw that nice little trick.
I pulled the wheels off and got the shoes adjusted much tighter to the drum. To the point where the drums is contacting the shoe slightly (it will spin but not freely). after doing this the parking brake is stronger and the brakes did improve. The P-brake holds on the steepest hill in town and the truck stops pretty well on hills.
should be taken care of i think,
thanks for the replies.
charlie