2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Rear brake adjustment lever

[SMalafy]

View attachment 143060 I have been trying to figure out if I have this adjustment lever in the right spot as it does not make contact with the adjustment wheel no matter what I try. Not sure if it is supposed to be this way or not but I thought it was always supposed to make contact with the star wheel on the shoe adjuster. I have looked at several diagrams to make sure I have all the parts in the right spot. I had found the cable spring going to the adjustment lever hanging loose when I pulled the drum as the shoes backed themselves out and were not making contact with the drum giving me a LOW pedal in the truck.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Looks to me like the wrong side is facing out...

 

[SMalafy]

Looks to me like the wrong side is facing out...

That is what I thought myself but you can not flip it over unless you put it on the primary brake shoe.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Could it be upside down?

 

[petersonj]

Are both shoes resting against the anchor pin at the top? If not, the adjuster will be out of place.

Something that frequently gets overlooked is the park brake actuator lever position inside the drum. People will adjust the park brake cable (along side of the left side frame rail) thinking that this is the correct procedure to adjust the park brake. It is not. The correct procedure is to adjust the rear brakes first. If done this way, there will likely be no need to adjust the park brake cable.

If the park brake cable has been adjusted prior to adjusting the rear brakes, then the brake shoes will not set against the anchor pin when the brakes are released, consequently the adjuster will remain out of position.

If the brake shoes are not resting against the anchor pin, then I would back off the park brake adjuster (along the frame) excessively. If the shoes still don't set against the anchor pin, then I would check for a frozen park brake cable.

The photo below shows the correct adjuster position when service brakes and parking brake are released.

- John

 

[BigPapa]

Could it be on the wrong side? What’s the other side look like?

 

[SMalafy]

Are both shoes resting against the anchor pin at the top? If not, the adjuster will be out of place.

Something that frequently gets overlooked is the park brake actuator lever position inside the drum. People will adjust the park brake cable (along side of the left side frame rail) thinking that this is the correct procedure to adjust the park brake. It is not. The correct procedure is to adjust the rear brakes first. If done this way, there will likely be no need to adjust the park brake cable.

If the park brake cable has been adjusted prior to adjusting the rear brakes, then the brake shoes will not set against the anchor pin when the brakes are released, consequently the adjuster will remain out of position.

If the brake shoes are not resting against the anchor pin, then I would back off the park brake adjuster (along the frame) excessively. If the shoes still don't set against the anchor pin, then I would check for a frozen park brake cable.

The photo below shows the correct adjuster position when service brakes and parking brake are released.

- John

Are both shoes resting against the anchor pin at the top? If not, the adjuster will be out of place.

Something that frequently gets overlooked is the park brake actuator lever position inside the drum. People will adjust the park brake cable (along side of the left side frame rail) thinking that this is the correct procedure to adjust the park brake. It is not. The correct procedure is to adjust the rear brakes first. If done this way, there will likely be no need to adjust the park brake cable.

If the park brake cable has been adjusted prior to adjusting the rear brakes, then the brake shoes will not set against the anchor pin when the brakes are released, consequently the adjuster will remain out of position.

If the brake shoes are not resting against the anchor pin, then I would back off the park brake adjuster (along the frame) excessively. If the shoes still don't set against the anchor pin, then I would check for a frozen park brake cable.

The photo below shows the correct adjuster position when service brakes and parking brake are released.

- John

View attachment 143063

Yes I did adjust the park brake actuator months ago. The shoes are resting on the anchor pin up top but I will back off the actuator anyway and see if that helps.

 

[SMalafy]

Could it be on the wrong side? What’s the other side look like?

Looks like the picture John posted above plenty of space on the side to the left, but the diagrams showing what the picture shows on the right hand side of the picture

 

[petersonj]

I think that you have more than one problem. After looking at your first photo again - the adjuster wheel is installed incorrectly. The threaded part of the adjuster should be on the left side of the lever so the toothed contact area doesn't change. Also, usually that type of tooth pattern is not symmetrical, the teeth are angled to favor engagement. You need to verify this and verify that the adjusting wheel is rotating in the correct direction after reversing the adjuster's position.

My guess is that you have the same problem on the other side.

- John

The photo below (your photo) is incorrect.

The photo below is correct.

 

[SMalafy]

I think that you have more than one problem. After looking at your first photo again - the adjuster wheel is installed incorrectly. The threaded part of the adjuster should be on the left side of the lever so the toothed contact area doesn't change. Also, usually that type of tooth pattern is not symmetrical, the teeth are angled to favor engagement. You need to verify this and verify that the adjusting wheel is rotating in the correct direction after reversing the adjuster's position.

My guess is that you have the same problem on the other side.

- John

The photo below (your photo) is incorrect.

View attachment 143064

The photo below is correct.

View attachment 143065

Thanks, guess I will have to pull the drum again and turn around the adjuster wheel