Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Rear Brake Adjustment
| Rear Brake Adjustment [message #100700] |
Wed, 22 September 2010 18:46  |
LEdmcconnell
Messages: 12
Registered: November 2004
Location: Bridgeton, MO
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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I read somewhere about the procedure to adjust the rear brakes.
It said to tighten the brakes until they are all evenly hard to turn, & then back off the adjusting screw a certain number of
notches. I don't remember how many. Does anyone know where to
find the info?
Luther McConnell
'76 Birchaven
Bridgeton, MO
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| Re: Rear Brake Adjustment [message #100720 is a reply to message #100700] |
Wed, 22 September 2010 21:06  |
Wayne
Messages: 106
Registered: August 2004
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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The shop manual says 30 clicks. If drum not free in 12 clicks check parking brake cable for binding. Boy 30 sure sounds like a lot to me.
Wayne Lawrence
76 Birchaven
Bellflower CA
w.lawrence@verizon.net
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| Re: [GMCnet] Rear Brake Adjustment [message #100726 is a reply to message #100700] |
Wed, 22 September 2010 21:51 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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Luther, this is the method that I use. First check that the e-brake cables
are not frozen up in their outer coverings. They often are. When you are
certain that none of the cables has any more slack than the others, then you
can pull off the starwheel adjuster covers on the backing plates and adjust
the starwheels until they can not turn any further. This is a finesse
operation, not an anvil and hammer one. The self adjuster links will prevent
you from backing the starwheels off and you must use a long skinny
screwdriver or similar tool to hold them retracted while you back off the
starwheels. Go about 10 clicks, then try to rotate the tire. If it is too
hard to move it easily, try 5 more, try again until the wheel and tire assy
can be turned with only slight resistance with an accompanying very slight
dragging sound. Stop here on this wheel and go to the next and repeat the
process until all 4 wheels are done. Then go into the coach and set the
parking brake, go back to the wheels and try to turn all of them. None
should move. The overall adjustment for the parking brake is the knob on the
handle. Righty tighty, lefty loosey. Release the parking brake and check the
wheels again. They should return to the state that you adjusted them to be.
Remember, when drum brakes heat up, the drums will expand and give you more
space between the shoes and the drum. Try to remember to back the coach up
once in a while and then apply the brakes. This is how the self adjustment
feature works. They don't adjust the brakes when you go forward, otherwise
they would always be too tight. If the starwheels are worn badly or have
damaged teeth, the self adjuster link will not turn them. Good luck. It is
not exactly rocket science, just good careful work. Don't be afraid to ask
further ??? if you do not understand. Last step in the process is to put the
rubber plugs back in the adjuster slots and you are done. Don't forget to
test drive the coach before you really need to stand on the brakes.
On Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 4:46 PM, LEdmcconnell <LEdmcconnell@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> I read somewhere about the procedure to adjust the rear brakes.
> It said to tighten the brakes until they are all evenly hard to turn, &
> then back off the adjusting screw a certain number of
> notches. I don't remember how many. Does anyone know where to
> find the info?
> --
> Luther McConnell
> '77 Birchaven
> Bridgeton, MO
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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| Re: Rear Brake Adjustment [message #100730 is a reply to message #100700] |
Wed, 22 September 2010 22:34 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Here's what I do: While spinning the wheel by hand, slowly ratchet up the adjusting star untill you feel a slight drag. Go into the coach and with the engine running, apply the brakes firmly a few times--that re-centers the shoes. Then you will find that the wheel will turn freely again. Repaeat this procedure 2 or 3 times for each wheel and when you retain a sk
light drag, leave it--there's no need to back it off (which is a pain in the a...). Do that to all 4 and you will be fine. The very slight drag you may have will quickly dissipate in the next few miles.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: [GMCnet] Rear Brake Adjustment [message #100731 is a reply to message #100730] |
Wed, 22 September 2010 22:55 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Bob's method works well also. Both methods insure that the shoes are
centered, which is the most important part of the adjstment. He is correct
in his statement that backing off the starwheels is a pain in the a**.
Jim Hupy
Salem, OR
78 Royale 403
On Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 8:34 PM, Bob de Kruyff <NEXT2POOL@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> Here's what I do: While spinning the wheel by hand, slowly ratchet up the
> adjusting star untill you feel a slight drag. Go into the coach and with the
> engine running, apply the brakes firmly a few times--that re-centers the
> shoes. Then you will find that the wheel will turn freely again. Repaeat
> this procedure 2 or 3 times for each wheel and when you retain a sk
> light drag, leave it--there's no need to back it off (which is a pain in
> the a...). Do that to all 4 and you will be fine. The very slight drag you
> may have will quickly dissipate in the next few miles.
> --
> Bob de Kruyff
> 78 Eleganza
> Chandler, AZ
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] Rear Brake Adjustment [message #100792 is a reply to message #100734] |
Thu, 23 September 2010 10:44 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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""My method is probably wrong. I find a large safe place to back up and drive the coach backward and forward several times to apply the brakes while backing and activate the automatic adjustment stuff. I had checked last year to be sure all the pieces would work for the auto adjustment. I try to do this between any long trip and the next trip.
""
I try to do that as well, and for some reason I still need to manually adjust them from time to time. I've checked the adjusters and they seem to be fine and free and correctly oriented. Rather than try to figure it out, I resort to manual adjustment when i feel it needs it.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: [GMCnet] Rear Brake Adjustment [message #100804 is a reply to message #100738] |
Thu, 23 September 2010 12:53 |
Douglas Norton
Messages: 191
Registered: April 2008
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I expect to buy some reaction arm tickets in Vegas at the GMCWS rally in October. I do not expect to win, but will do it in part as a tribute to Chuck Aulgur for his development of the reaction system. I saw that system work at Auburn in the spring and it was most impressive.
We are back from our 4,500 mile trip and must now save up for the next trip. My GMC rear brake horror stories of last year's trip to Canada are not as impressive as my Toad front brake nightmare on this year's trip to Rushmore (breaks were on for 60 miles; the bill approaches $2,000). Details later. "Without excilting events to remember, it is hard to remember."
--- On Wed, 9/22/10, Dan Gregg <gregg_dan@hotmail.com> wrote:
From: Dan Gregg <gregg_dan@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Rear Brake Adjustment
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Date: Wednesday, September 22, 2010, 9:35 PM
Doug, you can afford a couple of tickets on the reaction arm. That is the only way I can ever afford it.
Dan,
even got Teri working in the cotton harvest.
--
Dan & Teri Gregg
http://danandteri.blogspot.com/
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| Re: [GMCnet] Rear Brake Adjustment [message #100826 is a reply to message #100804] |
Thu, 23 September 2010 21:20 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Douglas,
You must have had something like my mini-disaster: About 3 years ago, I had
an almost-new Firestone tire fail, fortunately at only 45 mph. Some time
during changing it, I snagged the dead-man wire for the toad brakes and
didn't notice it.
My $30 toad brake helps the GMC brakes a lot, but does NOT lock up the CRV's
brakes. So, for the next 80+ miles I wondered why the GMC didn't seem to
have much hill-pulling power.
The new calipers, pads, and shoes only cost me about $400 though. Since
they had 75,000 miles or so on them, it didn't hurt all that bad.
Especially knowing a highly respected friend had done the same thing to a
new Saturn with a new automatic braking system at a cost like yours.
With my new dash installed, I have a bright green light that illuminates
whenever the toad brakes are applied. That was a feature of my original $30
brake design 6-8 years ago, but only implemented last year. :-(
Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI+ & EBL
www.gmcwipersetc.com
On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 1:53 PM, Douglas Norton <nortocd@yahoo.com> wrote:
> ...We are back from our 4,500 mile trip and must now save up for the next
> trip. My GMC rear brake horror stories of last year's trip to Canada are
> not as impressive as my Toad front brake nightmare on this year's trip to
> Rushmore (breaks were on for 60 miles; the bill approaches $2,000). Details
> later. "Without excilting events to remember, it is hard to remember."
>
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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