Interval for Rear Drum Brake Clean/Adjust
- Thread starter The Critic
- Start date
That is a very good point! Having lived my first 45yrs in Maryland I remember those horrors. Now that I am in Texas everything is virtually rust free.
Yes sir you are correct! I was only referring to my personal vehicles - yes customer vehicles do get checked. Good points 100!
Avoid what? looks normal to me...
[Actually that looks like a trailer of some sort, I'm guessing, which may have some lesser quality parts than the usual low quality parts on cars. And after being dunked a few times in water. Guessing from the leaf spring, 4 bolt mounting pattern, and non-drive spindle (or just insert Mortske's clip here).]
I thought in the rust belt you just know when they need replacing when you can poke a finger through the backing plate
There are several different varieties of brake adjuster, probably to avoid intellectual property payments. And they all suck. Dodge k-cars relied on the e-brake cable to provide proper service brake feel, for some arcane reason.
Pulling drums annually is great because I can grind down any rusty lip that's forming where the shoes don't ride. That lets me fiddle with the adjusters from the outside, and not through that stupid slot. I'm a pretty smart guy, I learned French in German, but I get turned around upside down trying to loosen my shoes with a screwdriver looking in from behind.
So I can slide the drum over my now-tightened shoes, with the feel just right, and then give them a proper spin with just the right "scratchy" sound. Also, drums not drilled and tapped for jacking bolts are the work of the devil.
Pulling drums annually is great because I can grind down any rusty lip that's forming where the shoes don't ride. That lets me fiddle with the adjusters from the outside, and not through that stupid slot. I'm a pretty smart guy, I learned French in German, but I get turned around upside down trying to loosen my shoes with a screwdriver looking in from behind.
So I can slide the drum over my now-tightened shoes, with the feel just right, and then give them a proper spin with just the right "scratchy" sound. Also, drums not drilled and tapped for jacking bolts are the work of the devil.
I 1000% agree with all of this. I like taking the lips down, I hate backing off adjusters through the hole, and jackscrew provisions are genius. I've even considered drilling and tapping drums not so equipped, but haven't done so yet
edit: and while I'm at it, all slit, splined shafts like steering shafts should have a jackscrew provision to spread the slit.
I had a '97 F150 and the weak brakes were significantly better If I kept the rear drums adjusted up. At every tire rotation, I'd pull the drums, garden hose the dust out, wait for it to dry, reassemble, and adjust so that they were just touching the drums. Out of all the rear drum brake cars I've owned, it was the only one that need any adjustment. I'd say it's on an as needed per vehicle basis.
I definitely did have some battles with adjusters and rust ridge on other vehicles. Maybe proactive maint. work would have made those easier. It just didn't seem worth it without a performance need. I've had cars with 100,000+ miles on the rear drums with no clean or adjustment.
I definitely did have some battles with adjusters and rust ridge on other vehicles. Maybe proactive maint. work would have made those easier. It just didn't seem worth it without a performance need. I've had cars with 100,000+ miles on the rear drums with no clean or adjustment.
I would be lying if I said I inspect, clean and relube every 5K. But periodic service gives me a chance to see what is going on. I do the front discs as well.
According to Yogi, you can observe a lot by looking... Or something like that.
According to Yogi, you can observe a lot by looking... Or something like that.
Yep, I do it often with my 64 galaxie. About every tank of gas, the pedal travel increases, stomp on the brakes hard backing out of the driveway and the next time going forward usually brings the pedal right back to where it should be. I've gotten to the point I just make it a habit to step on the pedal hard backing out of the driveway every time now.
Yeah, but… while good for you to do, pretty unnecessary, given your climate. It’d take your lifetime for something to freeze up from rust, unlike in many parts of the country.
Not saying I’m jealous, just wildly envious…
Yeah my 66 Biscayne, with four manual drums, took very precise fiddling to get the brakes to react properly, particularly the fronts. If one was a couple clicks off there'd be a pull for a split second before correcting itself.
Inspections, my man. Finding a cracked pad or shoe surface, and a little adjustment; that's all.
What is this rust thing you speak of?
Yeah, pretty interesting feeling when they don't all adjust evenly the first couple times you hit the brakes isn't it? LOL. I should have put new auto adjusters in that thing, the star wheels teeth are pretty rounded off, but they still work.
I swear my 63 Impala had self adjusting brakes. Im surprised that Biscayne didn’t.
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You mean people don't drive fast enough in reverse to get them to activate, or are you supposed to hold the brake pedal down and go backwards? I used my brakes all the time in reverse, maybe you're talking about the people that just throw it in drive without stopping first? lol
I think it depends upon if living in rustbelt or not.
But an inspection never hurts. From the inspection on,e can determine if maintenance is needed.
But an inspection never hurts. From the inspection on,e can determine if maintenance is needed.
