Adjusting Rear Drum/Parking Brakes 2002 4Runnner

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Just finished installing my new shoes and drums on my '02 4Runner. I have read to adjust the brakes by turning the star wheel until you get a slight drag on the drums. I have read to go in reverse and pull up over and over on the Emergency Brake lever. I have read to just jerk up and down on Emergency brake while car is still. I have read that you need to adjust the Emergency Brake by removing the center console and tightening a bolt on the wire attached to the Emergency brake.

So, I went out in the street and did the going in reverse and pulling up on the handle about 15 times. My Emergency brake handle never got to the point it ever clicked. Still totally slack. Car stops fine. Pulled it back in my garage and decided to go to school on BITOG.

What am I supposed to do?
 
With the drum off, you should pre-set the adjuster screws out as far as you can, so that the drum just fits over the shoes. Put the drums and wheels on.

Then test drive and stop several times using the brake pedal while moving backwards. After the initial self-adjustment, seat the brake shoes by stopping a few times moderately hard from 30-40 mph going forward. Then a few more reverse stops.

The parking brake cable should not need adjustment if it was working OK before shoe replacement.

It is very easy to put drum brakes together wrong so the self-adjusting feature doesn't work. Especially if you switch parts from left to right. The adjusters are left hand threaded on one side and right hand threaded on the other.
 
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As far as I know, the star drum adjuster and the parking brake cable adjuster are supposed to be adjusted separately. This is the first time I've ever heard of adjusting them simultaneously. Seems like the star adjustment would throw off the parking cable adjustment and visa-versa.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Dont mess with any cables yet. Gotta set the drum to shoe first.


Ok. How would you do this?
 
Originally Posted By: Gebo
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Dont mess with any cables yet. Gotta set the drum to shoe first.


Ok. How would you do this?
remove the drums and adjust the star adjuster.
 
If it has a rubber plug on the backing plate, remove it, and then adjust the star wheel with a flat blade screw driver or adjusting tool.
 
I think your rear brake shoes are still too loose. Make sure the drum is on and then apply the brake pedal several times to center the shoes. Then adjust the starwheel until the brake shoes move outward (away from each other) until the drum can barely fit. Install the drum, step on the brake pedal several times to center the shoes and then recheck/confirm that there's a moderate drag. Reduce slightly if needed. Once this is complete, do the other side. At this point, once all drums are re-installed, apply the brake pedal a few more times (to re-center the shoes) and test the parking brake - it should now be within 5-8 clicks.

Always adjust the cable as a last resort. Make sure your brake shoes are in adjustment first.
 
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