Drum Brake Adjustment. How long should an adjustment last?

[mr. fix it]

Hi there you brake drum experts.

I have repaleced all hardware with brnad new auto adjusters, hold downs on all 4 corners of the Polara.

I noticed yesterday that the pedal is getting lower as time goes on and wonder if I still need to do manual adjustments to my drum brakes over time.

I am hoping that my auto adjusters would do the job..

Guess I don't back up enough because I know that's how they generally work...

Any thoughts on this?

 

[68plymouth383]

Auto adjusters are a great idea.... they have never completely adjusted my brakes as well as manually turning the star wheel till an even drag is created on the whole rotation. As far as how often u should adjust. It depends on how hard u stop, and when you start to feel like there not as responsive.

 

[mr. fix it]

I try to go easy on the car but it does wiegh in over 4500 lb's so it is going to take effort to stop this freight train

Thanks for the reply!

 

[1970cat]

as long as the springs are right and the adjusters are not in backwards there is no reason why they wouldn't work.

 

[mr. fix it]

as long as the springs are right and the adjusters are not in backwards there is no reason why they wouldn't work.

Got it.
I popped the mc cap off tonight and see that the rear resiviour is lower .
Must mean that the rear brakes need some adjustments

 

[1966newport]

or it leaks?

 

[mr. fix it]

or it leaks?

this is possible... I'll check it out in a few days..

 

[68plymouth383]

If you're loosing fluid in a drum brake car you have a leak.

Got it.
I popped the mc cap off tonight and see that the rear resiviour is lower .
Must mean that the rear brakes need some adjustments

 

[bulldogchesty]

Sounds like a wheel cylinder.

 

[mr. fix it]

Sounds like a wheel cylinder.

I'll check things out and post the results.
All brakes less the rear drums are brand new this spring.

 

[Yatzee]

If readjusting and soft pedal are an issue I recommend a 10 lb. residual valve in the rear brake line close to the
MC. This will keep the shoes closer to the drums (but not drag). All that movement of the shoes can actually
introduce air into the lines. Another culprit is the proportioning valve which may prevent a 100% bleed of the
brakes the first time. By nature the valve shifts pressure in the front and rear lines and may be closing during
bleeding. Surprisingly it is recommended to bleed the system drive for a few days and rebleed. This scavenges
the minute air bubbles that cling to the inner cast surfaces of calipers and around drum cylinder cups and forces
them upwards towards the bleeders.

 

[mr. fix it]

Turns out that I had 2 couplers going to the back brakes with slight hydraulic leaks. Got them tightened up and re-bled the system with the help of my wife.
Pedal is good again!

 

[68plymouth383]

Great to hear.

 

[mr. fix it]

I was surprised and wondering why 2 of the couplers would leak after almost 2 months of not leaking...

 

[65Newport]

Sounds to me like you have leak in the rear brakes, cylinder or lines.

 

[mr. fix it]

Sounds to me like you have leak in the rear brakes, cylinder or lines.

Yes I did.. all fixed now