Rear Brakes - Yes, again…

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swank60

swank60

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One of Four Presidential Flying Saucers
My driver's side rear drum brake is dragging again.

New shoes, new hydraulic acctuator thing, switched the drums from left to right, lubed the hell out of the e-brake bell crank thing.

It does seem to be acting differently now with the other drum in place. With the other drum, when the brakes got hot, they'd swell and lock up. Once they cooled down, they were fine. Now the brakes just continue to bind - hot or cold.

Is there some way I can set the brake distance and then jam the auto adjuster/star wheel thing so it doesn't move anymore? I don't care if that's a half-assed way to do it, if it's a stupid idea or whatever - I'm sick of working on these things every two months, spending a bunch of money and winding up right back where I started. I'm done with it. I don't care if I have to wrap bailing wire around the star whell and afix it to the axle - I'm taking this thing apart one more time and I'm not opening it up again until the shoes are gone.
 
There's a function of the rear brake, and I'm not exactly sure how it works, but it automatically adjusts it's self to where it's supposed to go. Pumping the brakes with the pedal also makes fine adjustments to that spreader arm thing.

At least that's what it seems like I've read.
 
swank60 said:
There's a function of the rear brake, and I'm not exactly sure how it works, but it automatically adjusts it's self to where it's supposed to go. Pumping the brakes with the pedal also makes fine adjustments to that spreader arm thing.

At least that's what it seems like I've read.
Click to expand...



Not on a Land Cruiser rear drum brake axle from 08/80 and later in the 40 and 60 series...



The only thing that will actuate the adjuster star wheel is the action of the brakes being set by the parking brake, or someone using an adjusting tool on the adjuster through the backing plate, and manually adjusting them.

There is no automated process, no amount of pumping the brakes, or backing up and hitting the brakes that will adjust these drum brakes.




:beer:
 
Poser said:
Not on a Land Cruiser rear drum brake axle from 08/80 and later in the 40 and 60 series...



The only thing that will actuate the adjuster star wheel is the action of the brakes being set by the parking brake, or someone using an adjusting tool on the adjuster through the backing plate, and manually adjusting them.

There is no automated process, no amount of pumping the brakes, or backing up and hitting the brakes that will adjust these drum brakes.




:beer:
Click to expand...

Good info, thanks. Now all I have to do is figure out why the stinkin' thing keeps turning the star wheel.

Am I pulling on the e-brake too hard? When I was fooling with the brakes yesterday, it seemed like it would work normally, but if I gave it a little extra pull, it would click the wheel over. I was doing it all by hand there at the drum, so it's hard to tell how that translates in real working conditions.

I wonder if maybe the cable is out of adjustment and this is causing it?

Tinker said:
When you said you "lubed the hell out of the e-brake bell crank thing" did you take it off & sand the corrosion off it so it could pivot, or just squirt it with the KY?
Click to expand...

I just hosed it down from the front and back with a silicon spray. The arm moves freely and easily - doesn't seem to bind anywhere in it's travel and doesn't have a problem releasing the brake when it's adjusted normally - seems to move back to where it belongs even - no tension on the inner workings at the drum at all.
 
i have a similar problem in that the bell cranck mechanisim on the passenger side does not work properly so ever so often i need to manualy adjust the star wheel , this is not a problem as i just pull out my floor jack and raise the rear and adjust both sides acordingly . one of these days i will buy some new parts and replace the hardware but at the moment it works ok. does any one know if you can get the cables inside the drums that pull the shoes together ?
 
I'll bet a new pair of drums would solve the problem - maybe just replace the drum on the side with the problem to keep it real cheap. I had the same issue on my '82 many years ago. Swapping the drums fixed it for me. I'm guessing that there was some subtle difference between the drums - either one was worn larger or perhaps out of round? Both measured "in spec" using a basic caliper according to the FSM.

Oddly mine was wacky on the drivers side too.
 
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