rear brake adjustment on 2001 sephia

How does one adjust the rear brakes on the Kia Sephia? I don't see the standard access hole where you can insert a screwdriver to move a star wheel. Course, after taking off the drum I don't see a star wheel or where to adjust them. I don't think that the brakes are adjusting automatically as it takes more pedal travel than 'normal' for the brakes to start working. The shoes don't look bad, even after about

90,000 miles. The parking brake does take a lot of notches before it holds. When I spin the wheel it moves very freely so I am assuming at this point that it just needs the adjustment. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Jim

Reply to
kawvger12
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The rear adjuster on the sephia is a pain, it uses a toothed arrangement that is supposed to hold the shoes apart as they wear. On mine the 'adjuster' was frozen together, I had to take the shoes out to fix it. The adjuster assembly is on the upper bar just below the wheel cylinder.

Chris

Reply to
halatos2000

It's a pity that ALLdatadiy.com didn't have the instructions on how to make this adjustment. I don't think that this vehicle ever adjusted. Can the adjustment be made from the outside or does one have to do this with the drum off?

Thanks,

Jim

Reply to
kawvger12

I had to take the drum off to do mine. The easiest way to accomplish this is to remove the #3 sized phillips drum retaining screw and then thread that screw into the jacking hole 90 degrees away(radially). As the screw is tightened it will press the drum off the hub. Make sure you have a good fitting #3 genuine phillips. I have a craftsman one that has a handle that you can put a crescent wrench on for additional leverage to break the screw loose.

Last time I fixed this I put a very small quantity of wheel bearing grease on the adjuster assembly. It did not last very long as I think the adjuster is frozen up again. I would suggest using anti-sieze compound.

Chris

Reply to
halatos2000

Ok, so the adjusting screw is a Phillips Head? HaHa, and here I was trying to adjust it with a regular screwdriver. I spent a good 15 minutes dicking around with it and gave up. At least I found the hole in the back of the mounting plate with the ity bity rubber plug. No wonder it didn't adjust. My next window of opportunity is next weekend. I looked at the front brakes and they're pretty low as well. I do remember that I had a hell of time getting the right pads from Kia. Turns out the correct ones fit a 2002 Spectra, not a 2001 Sephia.

My other daughter has a Mitsubishi Galant and she needed a calipers. Her car is a 4 cylinder. I had a rough time with them until we tried the calipers from a 6 cylinder and then they fit.

Why does this always happen to me?

Anyway, thanks.

Jim

Reply to
kawvger12

Jim,

The screw that holds the drum on is a #3 phillips. There are no provisions for making a travel adjustment short of removing the drum to my knowledge. The 'plug' that I believe you are referring to is merely an inspection hole for looking at the thickness of the shoes.

Chris

Reply to
halatos2000

Well, that's a mighty small hole to look at anything. So what you are saying is that to adjust the brake shoes manually you have to remove the drum? And this is assuming nothing is frozen?

Jim

Reply to
kawvger12

I had to remove the drum to get at mine. If it is rusted to the hub you may have to use a hex-head bolt in the jackscrew hole. I was always able to press it apart with just the force of the phillips screw but your experience may be different.

Chris

Reply to
halatos2000

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