Another rear brake adjustment story

[GRudy]

I just had my truck in for state inspection last week at 35,000 miles. When the mechanic took a look at the brakes he commented that I must have just put new linings on. I said no, they're factory. Imposible he said, they're like new! I just smiled and said to myself "thanks TDR!"

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George, Perry County, PA
99 3500, Reg Cab, 4x4, NV4500, ISB, 4:10,VA box,Putco Boss
running boards, Grover air horns, Intense Blue.

 

[sam peterson]

hey guys---can you imagine how long the front brakes would last if the rears did a little more of the work. sam

 

[Roger Ledbetter]

If you tow heavy and don't have an exhaust brake it is even more important to have those rears snuffed up. Overheating your front brakes coming down a mountain with a full load will make you a believer!

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'98 12V 3500 Dually Std Cab, Auto, 3. 54, Banks Stinger Plus, Sun Coast TC. BD valve body, BD Pressureloc

 

[danandamy]

Originally posted by sam peterson:
hey guys---can you imagine how long the front brakes would last if the rears did a little more of the work. sam

Right on Sam. I sincerly believe that the main problem with these Dodge's going through front brake pads is the crappy rear brakes. I changed my rear brake shoes weekend before last. They weren't that worn down but were pretty glazed. For the first adjustment with the new shoes on, I set the emergency brake and then just started clicking away until the self adjuster got really tight. Then I released the parking brake and did the old spin the wheel until they start dragging thing. It's a nice change to have all the brakes stopping. I will have to try and stay on top of this a little better.

Daniel

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95 2500 SLT Laramie 3. 54, automatic,Herculiner bed liner, JVC cd out of factory infinity system, southwest grill gaurd (a favorite amongst the deer population), K&N chunked, AFC adjusted, dual straight exhaust out of "gutless" cat, Geno's dual EGT/boost gauge, TST #6 plate slid all the way forward, AFC housing slid all the way forward, silencer ring removed
"Don't be scared V8's, it's only a 6 cylinder"

 

[sam peterson]

I wish I could show you guys the setup I have for getting full brake pressure to the rear brakes when I am towing my gooseneck. I use it on my own rig but can't legally install it on a customers truck. ---sam

 

[ralphr]

I have always had good luck with the self adjusters, I think the problem is that you can not just back up a couple of feet and aply the brake as you would in a "normal" stop! I make sure there is no one around, back up at 2 - 3 MPH and then STAND on the brakes! when the rear starts leaving skid marks on the pavement I know they are adjusted.

I try and rotate the tires about every 7. 5K miles, and remove the rear drums and clean, I use air hose to blow the dust off, (good advice to wear a dust mask) as well as taping the drum with a hammer to loosen any build up. I would be afraid using water might lead to rusting, and the solvents could eat rubber or plastic parts.

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1999 3500 quad cab, auto aero fendor trim and running boards,
bugflector II, K&N filter, Geno's monster tip

 

[RKohn]

Checked mine last weekend. Lotsa shoe left. Lotta hammering to get the drums off.

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Y2K Red Stealth Sport 2500 4X4 QC SLT+, 5-spd, 3. 54 anti-spin, 265-75-16 LTX’s (There ain’t no such thing as options, cause ya gotta have it all, including: DC’s dead cow/vinyl interior and don’t stop anti-lock brakes. ) Stock, but not for long. Oops, too late. What silencer ring? (More fun than my 98 SST)

 

[K_Arts]

OK guys... I know this is a dumb questions. . but how do you adjust the rear drums? I have never done it... but boy do I need to. After 14500 miles on my truck and never having them adjusted, I have noticed a couple of times that I have had to lock up my brakes and them drums don't lock up at all...

Thanks

Kev

 

[RKohn]

K_Arts

The rears aren't supposed to lock up. RWAL is std equipment so you may not feel much even if they are adjusted correctly. A dead givaway that you need to adjust is a parking brake that goes to the floor

To adjust the rear brakes:

1. Jack up the rear of the truck (don't forget to use jackstands).
2. Remove small rubber plug from the back side of the backing plate(screwdriver or neddlenose pliers work ok).
3. Turn the wheel slowly while using a flat blade screwdriver or fancy brake adjusting tool to move the starwheel(it moves freely in one direction only and you'll hear at click/ratchet as you go).
4. Stop adjusting when you noticably feel more drag on the wheel.
5. If you go too far and can't turn the wheel use a 2nd screwdriver to hold the spring loaded pawl(part that ratchets) away from the starwheel while adjusting the starwheel the other way.
6. If you're adjusting alot, it doesn't hurt to go stomp on the brake pedal and release it to recenter the shoes.
7. Put the plug back in and let'er down.
8. Test drive.
9. Repeat as needed, your mileage may vary.


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Y2K Red Stealth Sport 2500 4X4 QC SLT+, 5-spd, 3. 54 anti-spin, 265-75-16 LTX’s (There ain’t no such thing as options, cause ya gotta have it all, including: DC’s dead cow/vinyl interior and don’t stop anti-lock brakes. ) Stock, but not for long. Oops, too late. What silencer ring? (More fun than my 98 SST)

 

[Bob Cochran]

Today at 10,000 miles went out to rotate tires and check brakes. I must be doing something right or living right. I do set the parking brake all the time maybe it does help. #ad
Rear brake adjustment just fine no problems. As everybody else the front pads are wearing faster than I would have liked but even left to right. Paint peeling of the disks but everybody knows those get hot and DC did not use the right paint!!! I have only towed a couple times with small 5 ER 4,000#. No e-brake yet. I have no brake pull either am I lucky or what knock on wood. The only bad thing I dislike after today is the plastic wheel covers on a $40,000 truck. #ad


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2001 RAM 3500 dually Quad Cab SLT, 4. 10 limited slip, HO 245 hp, 6-speed, dark garnet pearl coat, interior agate, All options except heated leather, added DeeZee brite diamond tool box, Linex spray-in bed liner, Lund hood deflector 3 piece smoke color, DeeZee brite diamond cab/bed running boards and TurboSaver (from Gino's) also Reese 5th wheel 15k hitch. No plans to bomb. This is my retirment vehicle currently pulling 21' 5er want to buy 30 to 35 for retirment.

 

[Cheska]

Thanks to everyone for bringing up this whole "need to adjust the drums" thing. At 14,600 I'd never done mine and started noticing that the e-brake was traveling a little further than it used to. The brakes just weren't "right", if you know what I mean. I adjusted them today and noticed an immediate improvment. A bit off the original post, but I just wanted to say thanks. There is definitely some worthwhile info on the TDR.

dave

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2001 driftwood 5spd 4x4 2500 reg. cab

 

[Loren]

One issue I have not seen mentioned here is checking the rear brakes the easy way. On my truck, at least, I don't have to remove the drum to inspect the rear shoes.

My 2000 model year 2500 has three plugged holes on each backing plate (the inside surface where you adjust the brakes). The center hole at the bottom allows access to the adjusting star wheel. The two other holes allow you to look inside to the brake shoe wear surface. If you don't have a lift (I don't either) it requires yoga-like contortions and a strong light (everything inside is flat black) in order to peer inside and check how much friction material is left on the shoes.

It beats removing the drums.

Loren

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2000 Quad Cab, 4x4, short bed, six-speed: U. S. Gear exhaust brake, MileMarker Select Drive viscous coupling, Velvet-Ride spring shackles, Painless Wiring circuit box, Optima yellow-top batteries, Super-Glide 5th wheel hitch, Reese folding ball gooseneck hitch, Drawtite front hitch receiver, Tekonsha Sentinel brake controller, Westin nerf bars, Clarion sound system
1995 Standard Cab, 4x4, long bed, automatic: Firestone Ride-Rite air springs, torque converter lock-up switch, 4" cat-back exhaust, Reese 20K 5th wheel hitch, Reese gooseneck hitch, Hayes Micro Control trailer brake controller, 100 gallon bed-mounted fuel tank with 12 volt electric pump & fill nozzle, Swiss Cap fiberglass cap

 

[Joe G.]

Loren,

You can check wear that way, but you can't catch a rear axle seal leak before it messes up the works. For that you have to remove the brake drum which is really easy if you do it every oil change when you rotate the tires. Just grab the drum with both hands and pull it off, just like that. I always do that. Then I measure the wear to see if there is a difference between the right and left. Adjust the brakes with my fingers, put the drums and wheels back on, and torque up the lug nuts. While I have the front wheels off I measure the pad wear and compare both sides. My last set of shoes went 140K and pads went 100K. I changed a right rear axle seal during that period that I noticed leaking before it got on the shoes. The truck always stops straight. I never attempt to get the self adjusters to work. Just a lost cause source of agravation.

 

[Joe G.]

You should take a close look at the other side and see what's different. It's almost a mirror image of the one you worked on.

 

[sam peterson]

Randy--antilock brakes doesn't have any bearing on what you are doing. If your smart you will do the other side also. It was subject to all the same conditions as the one that leaked. I hope you replaced the shoes, they can't be reused onced they are soaked with fluid. If the shoes wont come back to the anchor at the top check the e-brake bar that runs just below the wheel cyl.

 

[Randy]

I have a question about my rear brakes. I went to rotate my tires and found my right rear brakes were soaked with brake fluid. I went ahead and put a wheel cylinder kit in. After I finished and put the brakes back on I noticed that the brake shoes would not return to the closed position. There was a gap of about 1/2" at the top of the shoes where there is a half moon to fit over a round peg that holds the springs. What did I do wrong? I have done brake kits before on other vehicles and never had any problems. Any help on this would be appreciated. Also, do you bleed the brakes like other cars or is there a different way for the anti-lock type?

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Randy Richmond, 98. 5 24 valve, 50,000 mi, 2500, 5 speed, 4" exhaust, 4x4, 3. 54, LB, QC, Van Aaken CPC, Bosch 275 HP injectors, PacBrake, Walker flowthru muffler, Amsoil, running boards, Leer Shell, Metalic Red.

 

[merryman]

Hey guys, I am a little frustrated!
No one has mentioned my problem.
I have an '01 ETH DEE with limited slip diff. When I adj. the brakes with both rear wheels off the ground, the wheels are so stiff to turn that it is pretty difficult to turn the wheel and adj the star wheel and tell whats going on, certainly can't "spin" the wheel like I used to do on older trucks. Anyone else have this problem?
Is it the limited slip feature?
Last truck did not have this feature and the rear wheels were easier to turn when adjusting.

Everthing looked fine when I had the drums off last week (20200 miles) shoes and pads all looked great, and there was lots of brake dust in rear drums indicating functioning, but they were pretty loose--drums slid off with no trouble. I turned the star wheel up untill they were a little tight going on and did not try to count clicks.

Info or suggestions would be appreciated.

Vaughn

 

[Joe G.]

Vaughn,

The way you did it with the drums off is the easiest way to do it as far as I'm concerned. Others disagree, but as you noticed the drums come off easy. I do the adjustment everytime I rotate the tires so It's easy.

 

[LandShark]

Kraut67M: Do not remove the 8 bolts in the axel; only the lug nuts and wheel. My drums were also stuck. I sprayed lube where the lugs come thru and where the drum slides over the hub. After an hour of prying and pulling and pounding they came off. A big wheel puller would do the trick, but I didn't have one, so I found a piece of I-beam to fit between the springs and the drum to pry against. OH, don't forget to back off on the adjusters first. Also, don't pound on the lugs; you'll push them thru!

When you finally get them off take some emory cloth and lightly sand the hub and drum where they seat. Use a small amount of synthetic brake grease where they seat and they will slide right off next time.

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1995 2500 SLT Club 4x4, auto, 3. 54, 3300 pound Elkhorn slide in camper, AirLift air springs, Ricka dual wheel adapters (used only with the camper on), K&N, DC tow hooks, Rancho RS9000, Hellwig rear sway bar.
110,000 miles and counting.

 

[BV]

Vaughn - I have the same issue with the LSD putting extra drag so I do the same as you and adjust it up so the shoes drag on the drum while sliding it on. One word of caution if you do it this way is you will want to hit the brake pedal while the drum is on so the shoes center inside and your not getting a false indication by hearing just a primary or secondary shoe drag instead of both.

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'99, 2500, QC, blah, blah & blah