Adjusting rear brakes?
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2014
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From: british columbia, canada
Adjusting rear brakes?
So we picked up a 79f150 2wd. We did a brake job on the 9" everything lubed and working proper. So how do we properly adjust the brakes from scratch. I,ve heard that you drive the truck forward then drive in reverse and applie the brakes to set them, do that a number of times I geuss. Thanks for your input.
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Joined: Feb 2007
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
I adjust the rear brake shoes to slightly drag on the drum when you put it on, and take if off. Then put them on and do a hand spin ck of the drum and listen for a light dragging sound back, adjuster off 1/2 turn.
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Waterloo, Iowa
Yep, the initial adjustment must be done manually or they will never self-adjust, ever. The self-adjusters, all they do is take up the slack after the linings start to wear.
Run the adjusters all the way out just as tight as they'll go and then depress the brake pedal a few times to center the shoes and take the slop or clearance out in all the springs and fiddly bits. Then back the adjusters off till the wheel will turn, but with a slight drag. If the wheel spins freely the brake pedal will be low and mushy.
They should work pretty good at that point. Take a test drive around the block and maybe check one more time for wheel drag and adjust again as necessary. Finally take the truck out to a safe lonely stretch of highway where you can make a dozen or so moderate braking cycles in a row from 50 or 60 down to 20, to get the shoes bedded in. Don't glaze the shoes, but they need to get smoking.
Run the adjusters all the way out just as tight as they'll go and then depress the brake pedal a few times to center the shoes and take the slop or clearance out in all the springs and fiddly bits. Then back the adjusters off till the wheel will turn, but with a slight drag. If the wheel spins freely the brake pedal will be low and mushy.
They should work pretty good at that point. Take a test drive around the block and maybe check one more time for wheel drag and adjust again as necessary. Finally take the truck out to a safe lonely stretch of highway where you can make a dozen or so moderate braking cycles in a row from 50 or 60 down to 20, to get the shoes bedded in. Don't glaze the shoes, but they need to get smoking.
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