Handbrake adjustment help needed (2 Viewers)

[gatormark91]

Hi all -

Put new brake pads, rotors, e-brake shoes, hoses on the rear of my 2000 LC100. I'm a knowledgeable home wrench. I built up the whole truck with my own hands, restored cars, pulled/installed engines, etc.. So what I am saying is .. I do my own work. I'm meticulous, patient, and I don't cut corners.

I followed the FSM, and double checked my work. I did one side at a time, so I had the other side to use as a reference.

I'm having a problem though, getting the adjustment of the e-brake to go as per the FSM.

Following the FSM, I unhooked the e-brake cable from the wheel bellcranks, pulled the return springs, and expanded the e-brake shoes until they locked the brake disk. At this point, both disks were locked in place. I then contracted the shoes 8 'clicks' on the adjuster, as per the FSM (8 seems like a lot? But the FSM says 8!), reattached the cables, and installed new return springs.

So my problem is - If the bellcranks are parallel to the rotor backing plate, as per the FSM, there is WAY too much slack in the e-brake cable. The e-brake shoes will not engage with that much slack. The e-brake worked before, but would not hold the car. The old shoes were probably original, and trashed, with very little lining left.

I had to take more than an inch out of the handbrake cable turnbuckle to get the e-brake shoes to (mostly) lock the rear disks. Right now, the bellcrank adjusting bolt isn't long enough to get anywhere near the backing plate, and it'd not be even (as in the attached graphic) if it was long enough

Anyone have any ideas? It worked before I put the new shoes on, I've double-checked my work... But I am at a loss on this one.

Thanks!
Mark
Orlando, FL

 

[gatormark91]

still a question....

 

[abuck99]

Thinking it needs more adjusting at the shoe. I count as a reference but I like to go by feel vs the number of clicks.

Try this: Wheels off- and 3 lug nuts holding the hub on. Leave the springs on the bellcranks attached and back off the stopper. Re-index the turnbuckle (Loosen the turnbuckle) to give yourself full range adjustment ( you'll want this for future minor re-adjustments), then go back and roll the shoe adjustment until shoes contact then back it off until you can rotate the hub with your hands with out it grabbing. A very slight friction is ok. Then check the slack in your brake line, adjust there and make sure its not sagging. Then screw the stopper flush to the dust shield. With out the ebrake lever pulled, if the shoes are tight on the disc and there is no adjustment thread left on the turnbuckle- you have a stretched cable and may need to replace.

 

[gatormark91]

Thinking it needs more adjusting at the shoe. I count as a reference but I like to go by feel vs the number of clicks.

Try this: Wheels off- and 3 lug nuts holding the hub on. Leave the springs on the bellcranks attached and back off the stopper. Re-index the turnbuckle (Loosen the turnbuckle) to give yourself full range adjustment ( you'll want this for future minor re-adjustments), then go back and roll the shoe adjustment until shoes contact then back it off until you can rotate the hub with your hands with out it grabbing. A very slight friction is ok. Then check the slack in your brake line, adjust there and make sure its not sagging. Then screw the stopper flush to the dust shield. With out the ebrake lever pulled, if the shoes are tight on the disc and there is no adjustment thread left on the turnbuckle- you have a stretched cable and may need to replace.

Yeah, I always did brake shoes by feel, but the FSM said the magical "8" for every model Toyota I looked at the FSM for. I'll redo it and ignore the "8"... Was thinking cable might also be a little out of spec after 20 years. . Thanks!

 

[aging fleet]

This is relevant to my interests since I have parts on the way and will be replacing/rebuilding my bellcrank and bellcrank holders this weekend.

On previous adjustments, it seemed that 8 clicks left my brake a bit too loose. Let us know how yours turns out and what ended up working.

 

[uHu]

Must be your cable then.
If you adjust the shoes according to your first post here, and then adjust the bellcrank adjusters/stoppers until they touch the backplate, there is only a certain specific movement required on the bellcranks for the shoes to contact, and then a certain tension for full braking. When you attach the brake cable to the cranks and adjust it to length, there is only one more variable left, and that is the cable up to the lever. Both the cable itself and the sleve have to be properly attached, and the cable lubed and moving freely.