# Brake Adjustment Question



## keiko (Aug 14, 2006)

Need to pull the drums off my 67 which are frozen on. Will start by loosening the adjusters. Here is the question.
If i do the drivers side rear when I put the tool in do I push down (which would make the little wheel go up and clockwise) or do I push up (which would make the little wheel go down and counter clockwise) It has been many years and cant remember
Thanks


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## GTOJUNIOR (Aug 7, 2011)

This info is in the SM, really should have one.
Cheers


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## keiko (Aug 14, 2006)

saw the picture (thank you) does this pic tighten or loosen the pads ?


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

keiko said:


> saw the picture (thank you) does this pic tighten or loosen the pads ?


It shows Fig. 5-7 that states it is for backing off the brakes - loosens them. They are not "pads", they are correctly called "brake shoes." Pads are for disc brakes. :thumbsup:


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## keiko (Aug 14, 2006)

well i am totally confused, obviously if you have to back off the adjuster with a tool you must be loosing them. (counter clockwise) but i have seen 2 u tubes that show the same thing but it shows you turning the star wheel clockwise (pulling from bottom up)


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## BLK69JUDGE (Jun 10, 2010)

*If*

if your drums are stuck

one way to get slack is to take your drill ... "coal chisel "..grinder. or tool of choice
and knock the heads off the shoe anchor on the back side of the backing plate... looks like a nail head 2 of em
here is a picture of my drivers side on my Judge


this has helped me many times....also



leave the bleeder open a tiny bit and COVER the bleeder so it doesnt squirt to hard
or drain the system

allowing the wheel cylinder to collapse helps also

but

they are probably stuck rusted also if your havin shoe problems... and ALWAYS replace the rear cylinders
when your in there and all hardware..


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## keiko (Aug 14, 2006)

OK thanks, I think it is going to be a lot more than just backing off the adjusters


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

BLK69JUDGE said:


> if your drums are stuck
> 
> one way to get slack is to take your drill ... "coal chisel "..grinder. or tool of choice
> and knock the heads off the shoe anchor on the back side of the backing plate... looks like a nail head 2 of em
> ...


I have to disagree with this. As a 40-year auto tech, I've removed hundreds of stuck drums by_ pushing the locking pawl that rubs against the star wheel and lets it turn only in one direction inward with a thin screwdriver, while using another screwdriver or brake spoon to completely back off the adjuster_. A couple of smacks with a hammer on the HUB of the drum, and it should come right off. Have NEVER needed to cut rivets and destroy parts in the thousands of brake jobs I've done. That said, I am in CA, where cars are never rusty.


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## Montreux (Mar 8, 2009)

Junior has it! The adjusting pawl is outboard of the star wheel, and pushes down to tighten the brake adjustment. You must make the outboard side of the star wheel go UP to loosen, so the inboard side must go DOWN to loosen. You will lift the handle of your adjusting tool. Two adjusters are RH thread, two are LH thread!

Don't forget that you must push the adjusting pawl away from the star wheel to allow it to turn.

I recently had to use BLK69JUDGE's trick to disassemble a set of motorhome brakes. Wasn't easy, but it worked! If you had a leaky wheel cylinder, and the drum is rusted in place and will NOT rotate, this may be your only option. A new hardware kit is cheap, and money well spent.

Good luck.

Also, look closely at the front drums. Factory drums were locked to the hub by staking the wheel studs where they pass through the drum. You must pull bearings, and remove drum and hub as an assembly. If you're lucky, the drums have been replaced sometime in the last 50 years (!), and were replaced with a drum that is a slip-fit onto the hub.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Montreux said:


> Junior has it! The adjusting pawl is outboard of the star wheel, and pushes down to tighten the brake adjustment. You must make the outboard side of the star wheel go UP to loosen, so the inboard side must go DOWN to loosen. You will lift the handle of your adjusting tool. Two adjusters are RH thread, two are LH thread!
> 
> Don't forget that you must push the adjusting pawl away from the star wheel to allow it to turn.
> 
> ...


Another respectable disagreement here. The front hubs from the factory are swedged to the drums. You machine the drums on a brake lathe by installing inserts that fit into the bearing races. _This assures a completely coencentric and true brake drum._ When the wrong wheel studs are installed during service and the drum is no longer attached to the hub, it is almost impossible to turn the drum on a lathe and have it match up with the hub. You end up with a pulsating brake pedal. So, you are UNlucky if your front drums are loose from the hubs.....they were not designed to be.


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## BLK69JUDGE (Jun 10, 2010)

yes many were swedged
but
these were also used on the abodys
similar to a marine small boat trailer or utility trailer hub
and a drum

I have pulled em from buick skylarks and Lemans in fact I think the one shown is from my buddys 70 tempest
6 cylinder car

but anyways ..............

I am sure all the help we all provide is usefull to many ... in different ways

Scott


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