Help understanding rear drum adjustment

[drcpub]

Maybe it should be obvious but I'm having a hard time understanding the connection between manually adjusting the rear brakes with regard to front pad ware. I mean the rears are adjusted as the fronts wear down do the backs have to keep getting adjusted? Someone told me by driving in reverse the rears get pulled closer to the drum. I'm not sure that is correct. Can someone share with me proper brake maintenance between fronts and rears?

Thanks

 

[bobbywalter]

Yes..reverse....stop action will adjust the drum....

IF... IF..the system is intact and working.

If the adjusters are gummed up you will have to manually adjust them to keep your pedal height nice.

 

[drcpub]

I just put new brakes and drum in a few weeks ago. All went back together nicely. Is there anyway to test for even stopping across all four wheels?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Right... the rears should adjust by applying the rear brakes in reverse. Typically I get going and pump the pedal.

The trouble is the star wheel adjuster seizes and it will not work... even if you try to manually adjust them.

Front brakes have no adjustment. As the pads wear the piston in the caliper just follows along.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I just put new brakes and drum in a few weeks ago. All went back together nicely. Is there anyway to test for even stopping across all four wheels?

Did you properly adjust them?

Did you ensure the star wheels turned and the adjuster worked?

 

[drcpub]

Absolutely, All new parts, complete kit. I was able to turn the star wheel with the drum off with my fingers.

 

[drcpub]

With the brakes assembled, wheel on, I did adjust them from underneath till the sound was an even light scratch spinning.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Gotcha...

So when the drums went on... you should have turned the star wheel until you could feel a slight drag on the drums.

Do you have a symptom you are trying to fix?

 

[bobbywalter]

We're they on the correct sides,?

They can loosen too..

 

[drcpub]

I am confident in the assembly, reasonably sure all went together correctly and by the book. As far as symptoms or problems, no, nothing like that. This is my first truck I had that had both drums and rotors, so the adjustment part was over my head. Not sure of the functionality regarding adjustments. Fronts are auto magic and rears well, they are different. So its the interaction between the 2 that throws me, that's all

 

[bobbywalter]

I am confident in the assembly, reasonably sure all went together correctly and by the book. As far as symptoms or problems, no, nothing like that. This is my first truck I had that had both drums and rotors, so the adjustment part was over my head. Not sure of the functionality regarding adjustments. Fronts are auto magic and rears well, they are different. So its the interaction between the 2 that throws me, that's all

Well....my ranger is disk disk...

MY bronco is drum drum.

Both are cave pig simple

 

[pjtoledo]

as said the rears are self adjusting in reverse. when the brakes are applied, shoes are pushed out against the drums, since the drums are turning they grab
the shoes and jerk them in the direction of rotation. that pulls on the cable which pulls the adjuster arm which turns the star wheel.
that only happens AS the brakes are applied, it does not keep adjusting during the stop. so a bunch of quick jabs in reverse does the trick.
when the adjustment is correct the shoes are tight enough that they don't jerk, so don't pull the cable, etc.