How to adjust rear brakes?

[Torqstr]

I can't seem to find the "adjuster" on the rear shoes, where is it? Any pics?

[cp[mike]]

what are you adjusting?

[Torqstr]

the rear brakes. I've read around here and people talk about adjusting the park brake cable and also adjusting the brakes in the back. I tried adjusting the cable in the console, that didn't work. I want to adjust the brakes in the back.

From what I'm reading here it's some kind of screw you have to turn or something to adjust them.

[cp[mike]]

whens the last time you replaced or looked at the rear shoes? to be honest the only adjustment ive ever heard of for the ebrake/rear brakes is just where the cables meet the lever under the console

[Torqstr]

Well I figured they were badly out of adjustment. I want to try adjusting them before replacing the shoes. Since I've always heard that shoes are TERRIBLE to replace.

[cp[mike]]

Well I figured they were badly out of adjustment. I want to try adjusting them before replacing the shoes. Since I've always heard that shoes are TERRIBLE to replace.

you tried adjusting them.

do your brakes dude. its obviously time. you can pull the drums off and look at the shoes without actually disassembling everything. itd be worth your while... and they arent hard if you take your time and follow a haynes manual.

[Torqstr]

ok I pulled the drums off, the shoes still have like 60% of material left on them. The Chilton's I have mentions an "adjuster bolt", just like I was talking about before. But where is it? I don't see anything that will adjust how much the shoes push "outward".

this thread mentions them

http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthre...brake+adjuster

[Torqstr]

guys PLEASE, it's about to rain and my stuff is still all apart in the yard.

Where is this brake shoe adjuster that you supposedly adjust with a flathead screwdriver??

[SteveB]

PDF of rear brakes

[Torqstr]

ok after messing with it all afternoon I sorta made sense of what people had said. It's not a screw that you adjust with a flathead, it's a little "gear" looking thing that you spin. From what I can make out it's down to expand the shoes and up to bring them closer together.

I did this to both rear wheels and boy what a difference. Before I could pull the ebrake all the way up and if I had the rear end off of the ground I could just spin the tires, especially the driver side which didn't seem to be getting ANY brakes at all. I still can't rip the ebrake and make the rear wheels lock up, which I was kinda hoping for, but at least I can park my car with the park brake now

[SteveB]

You shouldn't need to turn the starwheel manually, it should be being moved by the brakes themselves.

[Torqstr]

if that's not the adjuster then what is??

or if that IS the adjuster as someone stated in another thread these brakes are "supposed" to auto adjust, doesn't mean they actually do.

[SteveB]

if that's not the adjuster then what is??

or if that IS the adjuster as someone stated in another thread these brakes are "supposed" to auto adjust, doesn't mean they actually do.

I didn't say it wasn't an adjuster.
I said you shouldn't have to move them manually, if things are working properly.
Is the self adjusting lever and spring in place?

rear brake PDF

[Crazyguy]

I used to work at a honda dealer and I was under the impression that honda did not have auto adjust rear brakes? adjusting the rear brakes was part of some services and sometimes got thrown in with an oil change.

when I adjust them I usually end up adjusting them to far just to find out where there going to start rubbing then i'll back them off till they just barely dont rub.


on a related note, you should NEVER have to adjust the park brake cables unless you regularly pull them up super hard and stretch the cables. if you believe you need to adjust the cables though make sure the lever is fully down and has a little slack so you know its not pulling the brakes then adjust the rear brakes before doing the cables. the mechanics at the dealer I worked at usually set the brakes to get 3-5 clicks on the park brake when pulled.