Just finished rebuilding rear drum brakes on my 1976 F100 Custom 2wd. Replaced leaking wheel cylinders with new ones and turned brake drums. Linings were in very good shape. For preliminary setting, adjusted linings so that drum would snugly fit onto the hub. After rebuild, what a valuable difference in brake performance! On adjusting the rear brakes to the correct position, I vaguely remember from 30 years ago with my new F-250 CS, driving the truck in reverse and applying the brakes would automatically adjust the rear brakes. Is this correct? What is the correct procedure for final adjustment after rebuild?

 

There is a hole on the bottom of the backing plate behind the drum it has a rubber plug in the hole..... inside the hole there is a star nut its your self adjuster ....jack up the truck and turn the star nut till your wheel and tire start to have a drag on them when you turn them by hand but..... not to much drag or you will tost out your brakes. Thats how I do them Good luck! Oh yeah turn the nut with a brake adjustment tool or just us a flat head scw/driver

 

Yep, ford boy, did that. I was just wondering about that "applying the brakes 6-8 times while backing" to adjust the brakes.

 

oh ok sorry. I'v heard that too Thats what the little cable and self adjuster is for

 

I have also used the "back-up and hit the brakes" trick to adjust the rear shoes, but my brother-in-law said that if you do the same thing, but apply the parking brake it works even better. I'm not sure if if this is true, but I do it both ways after a rear brake job and it has not hurt anything and it's also a good test of your emergency brake system.