Brake Drum adjusting?

Rodan - they actually aren't starwheels, unfortunately. My last 2 cars have these jacked up ratchet mechanisms, where two slightly cogged gears go together on differing angles and meet each other, but man when you try to adjust those with screwdriver it can sometimes be maddening to get them together right where you want them!!

Reply to
Eric L. Hulliberger
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Jim - yeah, I keep the adjusters lubed up good and they come apart and fit back together real easily and loosely, but I just wonder how well they might be working once the drums are on and the brakes are applied.

Reply to
Eric L. Hulliberger

The pedal should never be pressed when drums & shoes are not present.

Reply to
Shawn

Found that out the hard way in with my 85 Escort, had to have it towed, I couldn't even force the pistons back in...

Reply to
Eric L. Hulliberger

It's quite possible that the automatic adjusters just don't work. Usually, this is because they need disassembly and cleaning. On older vehicles, or one that get exposed to water on the road, it's not an uncommon problem.

Reply to
Chuck

Interesting development to this thread, last Thursday while driving I started smelling an acrid burning odor and once I parked it I noticed the left front wheel was damn near burning hot. It was colder than hell and snowing like crazy and I didn't feel like screwing with it so I limped it to a trusted mechanic I know that I use when I can't figure something out or don't want to get into a mess. Turns out my left front caliper was seized up on the disc and he said it has probably been building for a long time before I finally smelled the burnt brake pad smell.

He showed me the ripped dust boot that covers the piston, how in the hell does that happen? I do live in the rust belt and we have a lot of potholes up here in Michigan now, but in 19 years of driving I have never had a caliper boot rip, especially on car only 4-5 years old.

So, he noticed the right caliper boot was starting to develop a tiny tear as well so he ended up replacing both calipers and of course the discs and a new set of premium pads and what do you know? The spongy and low feeling brake pedal is gone completely. He is guessing the brake fade from overheated brakes was so bad from the pads riding on the disc that I was getting a mushy pedal. Now I just adjusted the rears 2 weeks ago so I'll see how it goes, but the brakes feel now almost like they did when I drove it off the lot brand new in Nov. 2003.

Thanks for all the responses, Eric

Reply to
Eric L. Hulliberger

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