Drum Brake Question (1 Viewer)

[nspctr1]

When you position the shoes on the wheel cylinders with the drum off, they are free to move to the left and the right a fair amount. Therefore, the shoe's "center of the circle" is not the same as the center of the circle defined by the drum. Once you get the drum on, you need to pump the brakes a bunch, and spin the wheels as well, to get the shoes re-centered. Then you can adjust.

I would get both the shoes close to the drum but to a point where I could not hear any rubbing. I would then expand one adjuster until the that shoe is tight to the drum and the wheel barely turns. Then I would back that adjuster off just until you hear nothing. Then run the other one all the way until the wheel is tight and back it off until you hear nothing. Now you know that both wheel cylinders and both shoes are close to the drum but not rubbing.

I usually then tighten up just a bit until they are slightly rubbing (especially with new shoes which are not conforming to the drum). I do this with the drum on (obviously) and the tire and wheel on so I can easily detect how much drag there is when I spin the tire.

With slight rubbing all the way around, I have good brakes. If I am on a seemingly level surface; and take my foot of the brakes, my cruiser tends to move forward or backward. This to me indicates that the slight rubbing of the shoes on the drums is not causing much friction. Also, I check my backing plates after an adjustment to make sure that they are running cool. If they get hot, you've got too much drag.

BTW, if you don't have the OEM brake adjusting tool, get one. It beats the pants off using a screwdriver.

That is the tip I was looking for. Thanks a bunch, and , Where would I get an adjusting tool, You are right , the screwdriver sux for adjusting...

 

[rgentry]

That is the tip I was looking for. Thanks a bunch, and , Where would I get an adjusting tool, You are right , the screwdriver sux for adjusting...

$19 at SOR. You could get it cheaper from CDAN. Frankly, it works so much better than a screwdriver, it's worth the $$$. I guess you could heat and bend a screwdriver.