Automatic Brake Adjusters

I put new brake shoes on my '85 Xtra Cab today. I had to turn the star
wheels all the way down to be able to put the drums over the hubs after I
put on the new shoes and now I don't have very much brake pedal and I have
to pull the parking brake out almost all the way to make it engage.
My neighbor (My mentor) said that the truck has automatic brake adjusters
and that after driving and repeated stopping that my brake pedal would
come back up to what it's supposed to be. He also said that I would have
to back up and when I hit the brakes that that's when the adjuster would
do it's adjusting.
Does this sound like the way these are supposed to work? I tried backing
up and braking about 10-15 times but it didn't seem to make any difference
in the amount of pedal or in the amount of distance I have to pull the
parking brake handle to make it work.
Did I do something wrong? Did I forget to do something that I'm supposed
to do?
Any info will be appreciated.
Thanks.
Jerry

You can pull out the emergency brake about a hundred times or you can
get under the truck and adjust the brakes from behind the wheel in
about 15 minutes.

I think that what he was trying to say is that some (most Ive found) auto
adjusters will tention up when you drive backwards with slight thottle
jabbing the brakes a few times while still slightly powering wheels. Dont
knwo exactly why but my ole man told me this and hes a mechanic. This works
mainly when you have brakes set close to what they should be not miles out.

Worth a trip or two down the driveway in reverse though eh.


"Toytruck" <t.greenfield@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:1109327145.643932.285810@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> You can pull out the emergency brake about a hundred times or you can
> get under the truck and adjust the brakes from behind the wheel in
> about 15 minutes.
>[/color]

I've found that "automatic brake adjusters" is one hell of an oxymoron, at
least for me it has been. I adjust them by hand instead of making myself
dizzy doing it the "normal" way. That's just me though, you may have better
luck than I getting them to adjust "automatically".

"Jerry" <jjones_0001@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:JJwTd.5305$873.4644@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...[color=blue]
> I put new brake shoes on my '85 Xtra Cab today. I had to turn the star
> wheels all the way down to be able to put the drums over the hubs after I
> put on the new shoes and now I don't have very much brake pedal and I have
> to pull the parking brake out almost all the way to make it engage.
> My neighbor (My mentor) said that the truck has automatic brake adjusters
> and that after driving and repeated stopping that my brake pedal would
> come back up to what it's supposed to be. He also said that I would have
> to back up and when I hit the brakes that that's when the adjuster would
> do it's adjusting.
> Does this sound like the way these are supposed to work? I tried backing
> up and braking about 10-15 times but it didn't seem to make any difference
> in the amount of pedal or in the amount of distance I have to pull the
> parking brake handle to make it work.
> Did I do something wrong? Did I forget to do something that I'm supposed
> to do?
> Any info will be appreciated.
> Thanks.
> Jerry
>[/color]

Automatic brake adjusters work by one of two methods...while braking
during backing (not ahead), or by using the parking brake. My
Tundra has the parking brake linkage connected to the adjuster; I
don't know how they did it in '85. Did you see a connection between
the parking brake cable and some levers that worked the adjuster?
If so, get under the truck and pull the cable a coupl'a dozen times
on each side. You will hear it clicking as it adjusts. When it
stops clicking it is adjusted.

Or, do it the old way...turn the adjuster star wheel through the
port in the backing plate with an adjuster tool or screwdriver.

Ken



Jerry wrote:[color=blue]
> I put new brake shoes on my '85 Xtra Cab today. I had to turn the star
> wheels all the way down to be able to put the drums over the hubs after I
> put on the new shoes and now I don't have very much brake pedal and I have
> to pull the parking brake out almost all the way to make it engage.
> My neighbor (My mentor) said that the truck has automatic brake adjusters
> and that after driving and repeated stopping that my brake pedal would
> come back up to what it's supposed to be. He also said that I would have
> to back up and when I hit the brakes that that's when the adjuster would
> do it's adjusting.
> Does this sound like the way these are supposed to work? I tried backing
> up and braking about 10-15 times but it didn't seem to make any difference
> in the amount of pedal or in the amount of distance I have to pull the
> parking brake handle to make it work.
> Did I do something wrong? Did I forget to do something that I'm supposed
> to do?
> Any info will be appreciated.
> Thanks.
> Jerry
>[/color]

Scotty wrote this:
[color=blue]
> I think that what he was trying to say is that some (most Ive found) auto
> adjusters will tention up when you drive backwards with slight thottle
> jabbing the brakes a few times while still slightly powering wheels. Dont
> knwo exactly why but my ole man told me this and hes a mechanic. This
> works mainly when you have brakes set close to what they should be not
> miles out.[/color]

Toyota doesn't work this way. The first three messages should have been a
clue.

One problem I had with my drums was a lip around the outside edge that
made the drums a pain to remove and reinstall. Took a die grinder to
that, fortunately there was not much needed to remove.

If the lip is too high, perhaps the shoes have to be super loose to get
the drum on. Or perhaps the shoes were not properly seated when the OP
finished the install. Either way, go through the backplate and turn the
star wheel for best results.

To my knowledge, you will have either "star adjusters" or automatic
adjusters.You will not have both.You have star adjusters (as I do on my 86).
These may be adjusted by removing the rubber access plugs on the brake
backing plate so that you can adjust the "star" with 2 screwdrivers.Your
truck does not have automatic adjusters that your neighbor spoke of.Auto
adjusters utilize a small ratchet which will click to the next level when
you back up and then brake firmly.
Todd

To my knowledge, you will have either "star adjusters" or automatic
adjusters.You will not have both.You have star adjusters (as I do on my 86).
These may be adjusted by removing the rubber access plugs on the brake
backing plate so that you can adjust the "star" with 2 screwdrivers.Your
truck does not have automatic adjusters that your neighbor spoke of.Auto
adjusters utilize a small ratchet which will click to the next level when
you back up and then brake firmly.
Todd
"Jerry" <jjones_0001@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:JJwTd.5305$873.4644@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...[color=blue]
> I put new brake shoes on my '85 Xtra Cab today. I had to turn the star
> wheels all the way down to be able to put the drums over the hubs after I
> put on the new shoes and now I don't have very much brake pedal and I have
> to pull the parking brake out almost all the way to make it engage.
> My neighbor (My mentor) said that the truck has automatic brake adjusters
> and that after driving and repeated stopping that my brake pedal would
> come back up to what it's supposed to be. He also said that I would have
> to back up and when I hit the brakes that that's when the adjuster would
> do it's adjusting.
> Does this sound like the way these are supposed to work? I tried backing
> up and braking about 10-15 times but it didn't seem to make any difference
> in the amount of pedal or in the amount of distance I have to pull the
> parking brake handle to make it work.
> Did I do something wrong? Did I forget to do something that I'm supposed
> to do?
> Any info will be appreciated.
> Thanks.
> Jerry
>[/color]

[email]twiedeman@dslextreme.com[/email] wrote:[color=blue]
> To my knowledge, you will have either "star adjusters" or automatic
> adjusters.You will not have both.You have star adjusters (as I do on[/color]
my 86).[color=blue]
> These may be adjusted by removing the rubber access plugs on the[/color]
brake[color=blue]
> backing plate so that you can adjust the "star" with 2[/color]
screwdrivers.Your[color=blue]
> truck does not have automatic adjusters that your neighbor spoke[/color]
of.Auto[color=blue]
> adjusters utilize a small ratchet which will click to the next level[/color]
when[color=blue]
> you back up and then brake firmly.
> Todd[/color]


All drum brakes have star adjustors. And all that I am aware of have
"automatic" adjustments operated by backing up or the parking brake.

FYI, the original VW Beetle, with drum brakes, had star adjusters, but they
weren't automatic. Every once in a while, you'd need to get into the drum
to take up some slack.

"Toytruck" <t.greenfield@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:1109420506.019935.170070@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
>
> [email]twiedeman@dslextreme.com[/email] wrote:[color=green]
>> To my knowledge, you will have either "star adjusters" or automatic
>> adjusters.You will not have both.You have star adjusters (as I do on[/color]
> my 86).[color=green]
>> These may be adjusted by removing the rubber access plugs on the[/color]
> brake[color=green]
>> backing plate so that you can adjust the "star" with 2[/color]
> screwdrivers.Your[color=green]
>> truck does not have automatic adjusters that your neighbor spoke[/color]
> of.Auto[color=green]
>> adjusters utilize a small ratchet which will click to the next level[/color]
> when[color=green]
>> you back up and then brake firmly.
>> Todd[/color]
>
>
> All drum brakes have star adjustors. And all that I am aware of have
> "automatic" adjustments operated by backing up or the parking brake.
>[/color]

You haven't adjusted brakes till you've done all 4 wheels on an old
Landcruiser with dual-cylinder shoes.



": )" <none@none.net> wrote in message
news:Ho5Ud.33250$Tj7.6550@twister.socal.rr.com...[color=blue]
> FYI, the original VW Beetle, with drum brakes, had star adjusters, but[/color]
they[color=blue]
> weren't automatic. Every once in a while, you'd need to get into the drum
> to take up some slack.
>
> "Toytruck" <t.greenfield@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:1109420506.019935.170070@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
> >
> > [email]twiedeman@dslextreme.com[/email] wrote:[color=darkred]
> >> To my knowledge, you will have either "star adjusters" or automatic
> >> adjusters.You will not have both.You have star adjusters (as I do on[/color]
> > my 86).[color=darkred]
> >> These may be adjusted by removing the rubber access plugs on the[/color]
> > brake[color=darkred]
> >> backing plate so that you can adjust the "star" with 2[/color]
> > screwdrivers.Your[color=darkred]
> >> truck does not have automatic adjusters that your neighbor spoke[/color]
> > of.Auto[color=darkred]
> >> adjusters utilize a small ratchet which will click to the next level[/color]
> > when[color=darkred]
> >> you back up and then brake firmly.
> >> Todd[/color]
> >
> >
> > All drum brakes have star adjustors. And all that I am aware of have
> > "automatic" adjustments operated by backing up or the parking brake.
> >[/color]
>
>[/color]

Not sure about the automatic adjust, but if your brake pedal goes to the
floor, it sounds to me like you need to bleed the brakes. Good luck.

"Jerry" <jjones_0001@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:JJwTd.5305$873.4644@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...[color=blue]
>I put new brake shoes on my '85 Xtra Cab today. I had to turn the star
> wheels all the way down to be able to put the drums over the hubs after I
> put on the new shoes and now I don't have very much brake pedal and I have
> to pull the parking brake out almost all the way to make it engage.
> My neighbor (My mentor) said that the truck has automatic brake adjusters
> and that after driving and repeated stopping that my brake pedal would
> come back up to what it's supposed to be. He also said that I would have
> to back up and when I hit the brakes that that's when the adjuster would
> do it's adjusting.
> Does this sound like the way these are supposed to work? I tried backing
> up and braking about 10-15 times but it didn't seem to make any difference
> in the amount of pedal or in the amount of distance I have to pull the
> parking brake handle to make it work.
> Did I do something wrong? Did I forget to do something that I'm supposed
> to do?
> Any info will be appreciated.
> Thanks.
> Jerry
>[/color]

JayW wrote:[color=blue]
> Not sure about the automatic adjust, but if your brake pedal goes to the
> floor, it sounds to me like you need to bleed the brakes. Good luck.[/color]

This kind of reminds me of the mechanic that told the car owner: "We
couldn't fix your brakes, so we made your horn louder."
--
Tom - Vista, CA

Unfortunately what you describe is for US made cars. All the Japanses
machines I have worked on use the parking brake to adjust the rear shoes.

-Pete

Scotty wrote:
[color=blue]
> I think that what he was trying to say is that some (most Ive found) auto
> adjusters will tention up when you drive backwards with slight thottle
> jabbing the brakes a few times while still slightly powering wheels. Dont
> knwo exactly why but my ole man told me this and hes a mechanic. This works
> mainly when you have brakes set close to what they should be not miles out.
>
> Worth a trip or two down the driveway in reverse though eh.
>
>
> "Toytruck" <t.greenfield@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:1109327145.643932.285810@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>[color=green]
>>You can pull out the emergency brake about a hundred times or you can
>>get under the truck and adjust the brakes from behind the wheel in
>>about 15 minutes.
>>[/color]
>
>
>[/color]