Rear Brake Adjustment...

[JGrefenstette]

My e-brake is officially worthless. my rear shoes are so loose that i can put the e-brake pedal all the way to the floor, and theres a lot of tension on that pedal cause the cables are tight, buts the shoes are so loose i can grab the tread and push/pull the truck very easily. which is a big pain with a manual, cause i dont want to always be sittin in the truck with my foot on the brake pedal if the things runnin, besides i want to perserve my rotors and pads up front with the help of the rear.



heres my question:





I was lookin in the FSM and seen that it appears you need a special tool to release the star wheel?? i though you just had to turn the star wheel untill your tires wouldnt turn at all, then back the wheel of 5-6 clicks?? do i need a special tool? i can udjust them from the openings in the back of the drums correct? thanks

 

[Tippin Spotted Cow]

All you need is two flathead screw drivers or small prybars. You need something as the fulcrum around which to make a lever out of your flathead screwdriver, in order to turn the starwheel. The special tool does that for you. How much is it? It doesnt matter, it aint worth it. Get in there with a screwdriver.

 

[JGrefenstette]

ok sounds good to me... was i pretty much correct tho, on the proceedure??

 

[Tippin Spotted Cow]

I believe so... I've yet to do it on my truck to be honest. I've had the thing for 3 years, and been basically relying on the fronts for 2.

 

[JGrefenstette]

not that big of a deal with yours being an auto. but let me tell ya, there have been MANY times when i get extreamly ****** off because i need to run into a stop or somebodys house and i cant leave the truck because its rolling. im one of those guys that would leave his truck running 24/7 if possible. i hate to shut it down. so that causes much agrivation with a manual transmission and no e-brake. an ill just put it this way, i aint exactly in the plains of texas or nothin..... an e-brake is a must around here.

 

[tugboatphil]

Jimmy, I've been there with the bad ebrake. Several options; good set of rubber wheel chocks, park near a curb and turn your wheels into it and lastly... . keep an eye out for saplings.

 

[JGrefenstette]

hhaha... . ah yes phil, i remeber seeing photos of the nice custom body work your saplings blessed you with :-laf



ive come very close to getting a set of semi truck quality chocks, but i talked my self out of it. i even had them on the counter at TSC and re-thought it at the last second. because i knew that it would just make me lazy. i have an e-brake for a reason, so by gosh i outa get the thing to work the way its designed. its made to hold the truck and if it cant do that then i need to fix it. now if i know that ill be having a trailer or somthing heavy in/attached to the truck then a set of wheel chock would be a great safty. i still should get a pair just to throw in the tool box.

 

[B.G. Smith]

You can use a medium sized flat screwdriver to turn the starwheel, a brake spoon is better, don't buy one off the bargain table as it wont last long, the metal is too soft. The special tool comes in after you have tightened the brakes until you can't turn the tire. The auto adjust tab will prevent you from reversing the starwheel to loosen the brakes, you can use an ice pick or a thin, long screwdriver to push it back out of the starwheel while you back it off a few notches. bg

 

[WJune]

Jimmy, I've been there with the bad ebrake. Several options; good set of rubber wheel chocks, park near a curb and turn your wheels into it and lastly... . keep an eye out for saplings.

rubber wheel chocks... . I use 16" piece oak firewood. Fits nice between door an seat. Those darn Ford guys keep laughing at me. :-laf

I don't trust factory E brake even after repairing them. Had them fail twice, truck rolled off on near level ground. Luckily I was able to run the trucks down, one just as it leveled a mail box! Have a line lock to install, some day.

 

[JLEONARD]

 though you just had to turn the star wheel untill your tires wouldnt turn at all, then back the wheel of 5-6 clicks

The way I have always done it is a little different...

I adjust them in while turning the tire... I stop when the shoes contact the drum enough to slow the tire a little.

Then I drive.

 

[boatpuller]

 though you just had to turn the star wheel untill your tires wouldnt turn at all, then back the wheel of 5-6 clicks

The way I have always done it is a little different...

I adjust them in while turning the tire... I stop when the shoes contact the drum enough to slow the tire a little.

Then I drive.

That's the way i've always done it also, run them down until they are rubbing equally and call it good.

 

[PToombs]

Yup, me too!

 

[JGrefenstette]

guess i have my method then... .



is there anyway to tell if theyre evenly touching with the wheel on, or do the automatically adjust their positions when you step on the pedal the first time???



and yall have never had a problem with getting them too tight and over heating?

 

[JLEONARD]

I just do it by feel... . I think if they are close by feel they will work fine.

In theory they are supposed to self adjust when you back up and brake hard.

But I don't think that works all that well.

 

[dpuckett]

JG- I used your method last time I adjusted my brakes, and liked the results. I think the "turn til it rubs" leaves too many variables open. Get the shoes pressed into the drums equally, back them off equally, and all should be well.



Also, make sure your e-brake cables arent frozen or rusted.



DP

 

[JGrefenstette]

thanks daniel, thats reasuring... i replaced the back right cable this past summer and left one is still fair. I guess Ill do the lock the wheel then back it off method, because im really just looking to get my shoes real tight when i use the e-brake. . i have a good set of pads and rotors up front so i really dont notice the help of or the lack of rear brakes when driving. i just want my e-brake back.

 

[Greenleaf]

At first I tried the turn till it drags like I do on the school bus "S" cam. However, w/limited slip that did NOT work for me as one tire is tough to turn.



I adjust my trucks rear brakes all the time. Pretty simple. If you get them too tight, it will really drag and you'll notice that right off.



I sota developed a feel for rear brake adjustment. I hopped inside Tuggers truck one summer day and could instantly tell there was nothing going on at the back.

 

[JGrefenstette]

well youd know right off then that i got nothin goin in the rear either... how is it that you cant tell so easy??? do you feel it nose dive more?

 

[Greenleaf]

YES! Very much so!



You simply don't feel any pulling sensation from the rear when you apply brakes. Only feel the front sink way down.



The back will "feel" like it sinks down when they come on and "pull" you back.



That's the best I can come up with. Hope you understand.

 

[Tippin Spotted Cow]

Jam on the brakes in reverse sometime, that might give you a decent indication.