2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Another Rear Brake problem/question

[Bart]

When DC has to have recalls on everything from soup to nuts. Why haven't they been required by the DOT safety board to fix the adjusters on the the backs of these trucks. This is a serious safety issue. I learned about having to manually adjust the rears after the second front rotor turning. I was adjusting them every 5K but with camper and loaded car trailer it looks like I'll need to do it every 2. 5K (half every oil change), it's hopping again. This is B. S.

 

[B.G. Smith]

For thew rear adjusters to work it is necessary to back up and apply the brakes hard enough to shift the shoes then drive forward and do the same thing, depending on how far the adjustment is out, usually you will feel a higher pedal after about five cycles. bg

 

[Bart]

Yes sir, I realize that backing is needed to adust but when they don't. I put the truck on my lift and can adjust the star wheel without moving the ratching arm away from the star wheel, on the driver's side. The passenger side I have to move the ratching arm away from the star wheel to back off the star wheel. I back up and come to complete stops all the time and they dont' work. I can count four or five complete backing up stops just going to work every day. Most of the rest is freeway travel.

It seems to me that there are way too many people complaining about crappy brakes on their Dodges. Self adjusters have been out on most vehicles since the late 60s. Most all of them work fine, this one doesn't. You'd think the stopping force required to stop a backing up 8K pound truck would put enough force on the rear brake shoe to pull the adjusting wire and ratchet arm. I know my old 70 Chevelle, and 73 Mach 1 don't have a problem.

 

[Philip]

can adjust the star wheel without moving the ratching arm away from the star wheel, on the driver's side. The passenger side I have to move the ratching arm away from the star wheel to back off the star wheel.

You need to pull the drums and find out why they are not working properly.



Some of the items that can cause problems are



#1. The steel cable stretches for the adjuster.



#2. The pivot that the cable rides over has worn or has

broken an ear allowing it to move out of the way.





#3. Out of round drums will not allow some self adjusters to

work properly.



My suggestions would be to replace all the self adjuster setup.

Replace all the hold down springs and mounting gear. Then check the drums to see if the are within out of round sepc's.

 

[redram]

Originally posted by Bart

Yes sir, I realize that backing is needed to adust but when they don't. I put the truck on my lift and can adjust the star wheel without moving the ratching arm away from the star wheel, on the driver's side. The passenger side I have to move the ratching arm away from the star wheel to back off the star wheel. I back up and come to complete stops all the time and they dont' work. I can count four or five complete backing up stops just going to work every day. Most of the rest is freeway travel.

It seems to me that there are way too many people complaining about crappy brakes on their Dodges. Self adjusters have been out on most vehicles since the late 60s. Most all of them work fine, this one doesn't. You'd think the stopping force required to stop a backing up 8K pound truck would put enough force on the rear brake shoe to pull the adjusting wire and ratchet arm. I know my old 70 Chevelle, and 73 Mach 1 don't have a problem.

They do work quite well but realize that you have a 1000+lbs engine sitting over the front brakes and virtually none over the rears. you say you race - consider weight transfer... ...



I have 155K on my rear drums and replaced the shoes at 115K. When I disassembled the rears I realized I did not need to replace the shoes, they were fine.



A little bit of maintenance to the adjusters and they should work fine. When you clean and adjust them, you will see that coming to a complete stop while backing is very important. And the adjustment is very fine.



The other thing is - slow down. Stopping an 8000 lb truck takes exponentially more force than your smaller Chevelle and Mach 1 at 3000-4000 lb vehicles. It's basic physics.



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