Hi all, not to resurrect a dead thread, but I'm trying to do this on my 03 F550. I bought a brake spoon, and managed to get the plug out on the driver's side near the bottom. Only thing is, I'm not sure what I'm aiming for inside. The spoon doesn't seem to grab anywhere. Can anyone tell me what I'm looking for and about how far in?
Thanks!

 

Sometimes they just do it for the flat rate, what we did when I was doing truck services. Got paid to R&R the tire and wheel plus the adjust.

Kinda like glow plugs on the old 7.3, could test them in 10 minutes with a light or take 2.5 hours with a multimeter.

 

I'm reading into your post that you're suggesting taking it to a shop. I may get there, but I'd like to try to get it on my own first, before I give up.

Thanks!

 

No you can do it it's not hard, read the procedure and take your time is all.

 

Trying to, but as stated above, I don't know where I'm aiming in the hole. I'll have to try later with a better flashlight.

 

It's a star wheel and I normally just feel around for it with a flat tip but then been working on drums since the late 60s with my dad then as a service mechanic. It'll rotate up and away from the slot.

 

Thanks. I have worked on drums before, on a '48 ******, but it was easier to see what I was doing, and in that case, I locked onto the star pretty easily. As I said, I'll see if I can see better what I'm doing with a better light, just to see where the star is.

 

could be worse, on my GM Dually, one side is really easy, you can directly see the starwheel and it's straightforward to adjust, the other side you need to use a flashlight and mirror as well as a custom-bend tool because the slot is recessed a couple of inches and access to it is limited by the frame and spring pack. For extra fun, forget that with the mirror you you have to spin the starwheel the opposite way and wedge it...

 

Well, so much for that. As it runs out, my axle is a lot like Dave describes above. Driver's side is down low and relatively easy to get to. That said, I shined a light in there, and once I saw where the adjuster was, I could see it was back a way in the hole, and I think I was getting the tool in there, but can't tell if I was doing any good.
The passenger side is a whole different story. The plug is at the top, and thanks to the suspension, nearly impossible to get to.
I guess it'll have to wait till I need brake work, and I'll have whoever does that adjust them while they're in there. If I understand correctly, getting at them from the outside requires not only the wheels to be removed, but to get the rotors off and get to the internals, the axle shafts have to come out. Not something I'm going to attempt here.
Thanks, everybody.

 

Yea every so often I try and get ambitious about thes sort of things then realize, hey I make enough let someone else do the dirty work.

 

1) Pull rubber plug out and use flashlight, you can easily see what you are doing then.

2) Leave wheels on, you can jack up one side at a time, CHOCK OTHER WHEELS and put truck in neutral so you can spin tire easily.

3) If you are lucky, your parking brake will work, if not you will be like others and still not have a parking brake worth two cents.

 

So just moved to MA and had truck inspected, 2002 F250 supercab 4x4, 300,000 + miles, yes 7.3 (love it). Fails inspection for ball joints and parking brakes. I have replaced all components ....I mean all of them, rotors, pads, cables, pins, springs, spreader lever thingy, dust shield...everything. I've taken that rear end apart so many times I can do it in my sleep. I've adjusted, bedded adjusted and sacrificed chickens to these dang brakes and they still won't hold. Inspection guys says they should hold up to 1250 rpm! They won't even hold just at idle. I even took an air chisel with the punch and put 10000 dimples on the inside of the rotor to try and give it some more grab...nothing. Help!

 

You need a flashlight to find the hole?

 

Look on youtube.
You can probably do it with the wheels still on. You also do not need any special tool. A flat screw driver should be able to move the cogs.Jack up both sides since you need to adjust both sides anyways. A flash light will help since it's on the inside of the wheel and kind of dark.

 

They say to remove the rotor and stick a 0.30 feeler gage between the rotor and e brake shoe. Also jack up both sides of the rear put on stands trans in neutral . Chock ft tires adjustment doesn't require disassembly. The adjuster slot is on the backing plate engage the park brake adjust both equally. If you adjust 4 clicks on drs side give the pass side the same. Release the park brake and reapply see where the petal is engaged figure about mid way to floor and it should hold