Do you need to adjust your rear drumb brakes after a while? When i puress on my brake and let off i hear a pop in the back brake. I dont know any thing about them i knwo there is a little **** that you can turn to make them tighter. How exactly does that work i have never attempted my back brakes because i dont trust my self with drum brakes. Any ways what way do i turn that little thing to make the brakes tighter. Also if i tighten them would that make the noise go away? any ideas on what might cause it.
Supreme Member
They are supposed to be self-adjusting; but that mechanism doesn't always work very well. And it won't work at all if they have gotten too far out of adjustment.
The hydraulic cylinder spreads the shoes apart at the top; and the adjuster just spreads them aparts at the bottom. That part is very simple.
They are supposed to self-adjust by using the brakes when the car is going backwards. This makes the shoes rotate in that direction as they apply, which forces a little linkage to turn that adjuster star-wheel. If they're so far out of adjustment that they don't apply enough to make that happen, then you have no choice but to do it manually.
Easiest way to do it is to pop the drums off, and just tighten the adjusters up until the drums will just barely go back on over the shoes. Then make a point of using the brakes to stop the car in reverse every few days, to keep them adjusted up.
The hydraulic cylinder spreads the shoes apart at the top; and the adjuster just spreads them aparts at the bottom. That part is very simple.
They are supposed to self-adjust by using the brakes when the car is going backwards. This makes the shoes rotate in that direction as they apply, which forces a little linkage to turn that adjuster star-wheel. If they're so far out of adjustment that they don't apply enough to make that happen, then you have no choice but to do it manually.
Easiest way to do it is to pop the drums off, and just tighten the adjusters up until the drums will just barely go back on over the shoes. Then make a point of using the brakes to stop the car in reverse every few days, to keep them adjusted up.
Member
If you haven't had the drums off in awhile, might be time to check 'em. The self adjusters that RB describe ( nice explanation BTW ) work well most of the time...
Problem is, even "experienced" mechanics often do brake jobs and forget to give these things some grease...they work much better that way.
If it were me, I'd pop the drums off, hose everything down with brake cleaner and give everything a once over. putting some grease on the adjusters is a given.
Problem is, even "experienced" mechanics often do brake jobs and forget to give these things some grease...they work much better that way.
If it were me, I'd pop the drums off, hose everything down with brake cleaner and give everything a once over. putting some grease on the adjusters is a given.
If i rotate the adjuster down it would make them tighter and if i move it up it would make them looser right?
They were done about a year ago maybe 10,000 miles ago i just was hearing a pop on the right rear left brake when i push the peddle.
They were done about a year ago maybe 10,000 miles ago i just was hearing a pop on the right rear left brake when i push the peddle.
Supreme Member
Maybe it's not the brakes. It could be a worn bushing in your rear suspension. I hear mine just bending over! 