Rear self adjusting brakes

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dICKj

dICKj

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Kilgore, TX
My rear brakes keep locking up. I've been told that the easy fix is to just take the self-adjusters off and use manual adjusting. Will this work? DickJ
 
dICKj said:
My rear brakes keep locking up. I've been told that the easy fix is to just take the self-adjusters off and use manual adjusting. Will this work? DickJ
Click to expand...
Just curious, does this happen when backing up? One of mine locks up sometimes when I start backing up...
 
The adjuster are left and right hand threaded and have to be on the corresponding correct side. Is it possible you swapped them or have two left or two rights?
 
Your brake springs should be check while its being inspected. the primary spring, is the last spring that should be installed on the pivot.....Rule of thumb, first spring you take off...last spring you put back on.......
 
And e-brake hanging up will cause adjusters to overtighten.
And if the shoes are adjusted tight,good luck getting drums off. Will need to back off adjuster.
Also axle seals and wheel cylinders, if theres a leak, brakes will lock up.
 
dICKj said:
My rear brakes keep locking up. I've been told that the easy fix is to just take the self-adjusters off and use manual adjusting. Will this work? DickJ
Click to expand...
Will work, but if they are operating correctly there would be no problem.
And if adusters are on wrong side,they would back off the brakes. Best to have a workshop manual and investigate/repair problem. Until you remove drums its only speculation.
 
those adjusters get some pretty heavy crud and rust buildup on them. Maybe just a good hose down with brake cleaner over an oil pan.
 
dICKj said:
My rear brakes keep locking up. I've been told that the easy fix is to just take the self-adjusters off and use manual adjusting. Will this work? DickJ
Click to expand...
Do they lock up the first few times you use them and then they are ok? You may have a wheel cylinder or axle seal leaking like @Tooljunkie mentioned in post#7. It doesn't take much of a leak.
 
I can't imagine the adjusters causing lock up either. It's more common for self adjusting to not work at all. First vehicle I saw, and only one I've ever seen, that didn't have all the self adjusting bits in place was a late 80s Crown Vic', ex or retired police car. I was told they were delivered this way. The adjusting was part of routine maintenance. The new owner and myself too learned something that day.
 
Had a manually adjusted vw once. Would go too long between adjustments so I got used to double pumping the brake pedal to get brakes to stop the POS.

Fix the issue no bandaids.

Check that the area the shoe rides on, on the backing plate is not carved out in a pattern from decades of use, had a 65 Mustang with eratic braking till we repaired the backing plates.
 
Is this the original breaking system to the car ? If not it could have the wrong proportioning valve.
If you installed front disc brakes on it this can happen.
 
Most dually trucks I have seen being worked on use manual adjusters. Mopar chassis manual recommends removing the automatic adjusters and using manual adjusters for racing applications to keep the shoes out of contacts with the during acceleration.
 
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