Adjusting rear brakes

[TWilkening]

What should the rear brakes be adjusted to. I'm not so sure the automatic adjusters are working. Beings my truck is a gasser, it's got a (puny) Dana 60 out back. I'm not sure what difference this makes.

 

[AlK]

The so called rear brake "automatic adjusters" are a joke, they don't work. I adjust mine whenever I make an oil change - around 5,000 km.

Here is what I do.

Jack up the rear end and put it on stands. Take out the rubber plug near the bottom of the hub. I have a special tool or just use a big slotted screw drive and adjust the brakes until I can't rotate the rear wheel by hand. Then I keep loosening the adjuster until I can turn the wheel by hand and there is just a slight drag. Try to get the same amount of drag on both wheels. My initial rear brakes lasted for 110,000 km. By the way I am still running with the original front brake pads and the truck now has 130,000 km.

 

[TWilkening]

So there isn't a set number of knotches back from tight? Like when I used to adjust trailer brakes all the time I would go till it wouldn't move, then back it off 7 knotches.

 

[dpuckett]

My girlfriend's boss (owns a successful shop, and seems to know his stuff most of the time- even agrees Ford doesnt own Cummins) said to go til it wont go no more, then back it off 5-6 strokes, with each stroke having 3clicks average. Translation- back it off about 15-20 clicks. There will be a noticeable drag. The FSM tells you to get a slight drag, then back up and stop 10 times, coming to a complete stop each time, allowing the adjusters to function :-laf :-laf. If they dont function, you hafta tightne them up.



BTW- I never had any hot brakes with the method I described- I checked due to paranoia for the next week.



Daniel

 

[Nate]

I just tighten mine up 5 clicks every oil change.

 

[JLEONARD]

I've always adjusted until there is a little drag then left it there. Go by "feel" and get both sides the same.

That also seems to be the general consensus here... no matter which diorection you approach it from.

Jay