With new cylinders, shoes, master cylinder, hoses, and hardware, I guess the only thing I can do to improve my braking is adjust it.

I understand how the adjuster works, I just don't know how to tell when it is "adjusted" correctly.

If someone could explain to me a method that has worked for them, I would appreciate it!

Thanks.

 

With the wheels off the ground, start adjusting and as you do rotate the tire and wheel. Keep doing this until you start to feel some resistance. I usually do this untill I get some pretty good resistance and then go to the next one. Try to get them all the same. After you do this get in and pump the brakes a couple of times to center the shoes and go through the process agian if needed. If your brakes are bled properly and every thing is in order you should have a good solid pedal, take it for a drive and see if it pulls one way or the other. Which ever side is pulling is adjusted a little tighter than the other, either back one off or slightly tighten the other to compensate. This should give you good brakes, drive it for awhile and check them again after the shoes seat in. Avoid panic stops for the first several miles.

 

I assume the drums are in good shape? Are the shoe contact surfaces smooth or are they grooved? If they are grooved, you may want to have them machined/turned to clean up the contact surfaces.

Are the oil seals front and rear in good shape? You don't want them allowing lube to leak past them and into the drum area and ruining your new shoes.

If so, then go ahead and turn the star adjuster until the drums just slip over the shoes. Then with the drums in place, secure the wheel. Now turn the music off and spin the wheel by hand. If you can hear the shoes drag inside the drum ever so slightly, then the adjustment is good. If you don't hear any drag, then turn the star adjuster with an appropriate tool through the open slot in the bottom of the backing plate in the same direction to expand the shoes outward. Periodically, check for any shoe drag by spinning the wheel. If you adjust it too far, it will bind/hold the wheel when you try to spin it. If this happens, just turn the adjuster the other way to bring the shoes back toward the center.

The shoes will likely not drag evenly, rather they'll probably drag intermittently. This is fine. The object is to adjust each wheel to the same level of "light drag".

I usually perform this brake adjustment twice a year. This technique as worked for me.... Good Luck!

BarnieTrk

P.S.
Once you've got the shoes adjusted, then you should bleed the hydraulics to ensure you've got all the air out of the system. DON'T TRY TO DRIVE BEFORE BLEEDING THE BRAKES!

 

Back in the day they had a brake drum/shoe caliper tool where you used it to measure the inner drum, then turned the tool around and adjusted the shoes to that side of the tool then when you slid the drum over the brake shoes they were adjusted perfectly. I haven't seen one in a long while but if you can find one they work GREAT. Here's a picture of one.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone. I put new tires on today and adjusted the brakes. I will say that they are much better than before, maybe as good as they're going to get? I'm 26, and don't have much experience driving cars with four wheel drums....so while I know they aren't going to stop like my Honda Accord, I wonder if there is room for improvement.

Are the brakes "self-adjusting" on this '65?

ps-overland, I'm gonna keep my eyes peeled for a tool like that, it's cool.

 

I looked them up and there still available. If your looking for one online it's called a Brake Resetting Gauge made by KD Tools, the number is #3377. Cost is $34.00 to $70.00 depending on who you buy it from.

 

deleted due to my stupidity :-)

 

1964 was the first year for the self adjusters. All F100's came with them as standard equipment.

The self adjuster's levers are right/left specific, otherwise all the adjuster parts (right/left front/rear) are the same.

The front wheel adjuster parts are the same thru 1972 (2WD, thru 1975 4WD). The rear wheel adjuster parts are the same thru 1983 (F100) .. 1975/96 (F150).

This setup was a troublesome terd from day one. The self adjusters only (supposedly!) work when you back up and step on the brakes.

What happens is: The adjusters become stuck...usually due to rust.

And/or the self adjuster's cable snaps. This allows the cable's guide to float around inside the brake drum and it could get lodged between the shoe and the drum.

When this occurs and you step on the brake, the guide chews the hell oughtta the drum and the brake shoe. Not pleasant!

NAPA (other autoparts stores) have offered a kit since day one that takes the place of the self adjusters. This is the reason many of the crappy self adjusters have been removed.