Brakes - Check your hardware too

[Mopar1973Man]

Just a friendly reminder... Take the time to inspect your brakes and all the hardware. Like myself I dove in to fixing my parking brake thinking there was a problem there but really just needs adjustments now and then. During the time of pull the calipers off I found 3 of the 4 slide pins rotten, one rubber boot was so wore it separated in half from the rough rust rubbing on it. Fix is easy I got a set of slide pins and boots coming this morning just gotta head to McCall ID to get them. Only +16*F and snowing this morning. Oh Fun.

[Doubletrouble]

10 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Only +16*F and snowing this morning. Oh Fun

 Sounds like a blast!

[wil440]

I have to check my rear drums as the parking brake definitely need adjusting and it's time I had a look in the drums, I have shoes 

Fronts need looking at too as pulls slightly to the right, these are no problem as I've got spare calipers, pistons, seal kits, sliders and bushes, and maybe 90 sets of pads and no that figure is not an exaggeration 

The Jackal 2 used by British forces uses Ferrari Tractor axles and brake discs with 3. 2nd gen Dodge Ram calipers per wheel, I used to supply the Company that built them with brakes got a few left over 

[Doubletrouble]

Nice!

[Sycostang67]

I need to inspect my parking brake this year.  I made the mistake of leaving it on for a few short trips and may need new pads.  I'll be sure to gather all the parts and hardware before tearing into it.  Nothing more depressing than having a truck in pieces and needing a part that has to be ordered.    

[Mopar1973Man]

25 minutes ago, Sycostang67 said:

I need to inspect my parking brake this year.  I made the mistake of leaving it on for a few short trips and may need new pads.  I'll be sure to gather all the parts and hardware before tearing into it.  Nothing more depressing than having a truck in pieces and needing a part that has to be ordered.    

 

Ha! I did the same thing ordered a set of brake shoes for the parking brake and found out I just needed to adjust them.  It might be worth doing a quick inspect before ordering parts so you not buying stuff you really don't need. Like myself I've got a 125 mile trip to return my brake shoes which I'll just keep them for now. 

[Silverwolf2691]

On the topic of parking brakes.. I know of the adjustment in between the brake shoes but is there anything else to adjust? I had to replace mine a while ago due to the truck sitting for a while. Everything rusted up on my disks and ruined the pads. I know @Mopar1973Man gave the order of adjustment a long time ago but I have only found the star wheel adjustment.. Didn't know if the splitter/equalizer had to get adjusted. 

[wil440]

5 minutes ago, Silverwolf2691 said:

On the topic of parking brakes.. I know of the adjustment in between the brake shoes but is there anything else to adjust? I had to replace mine a while ago due to the truck sitting for a while. Everything rusted up on my disks and ruined the pads. I know @Mopar1973Man gave the order of adjustment a long time ago but I have only found the star wheel adjustment.. Didn't know if the splitter/equalizer had to get adjusted. 

Mine is drum rear so different but I adjust the shoes first, I do prefer to remove the drums to check everything first and also to check there is no lip on the very inner edge of the drum, if there is I grind it off so the shoes can be adjusted very close to where they need to be before messing about through the backplate, also once the lip is gone it's possible to slide drum on and off to get the shoes settled in the right place.

Once the shoes are adjusted if the park brake pedal is still going to far I adjust the cables/splitter/equalizer

[Mopar1973Man]

Starwheel is use to take up slack in the shoes to drum clearance. Do not adjust the cable for this.

 

The cable adjustment is only take slack out of the cable. This adjust should allow for full return of both arms in the hubs. If not it's TOO TIGHT.

[Tractorman]

@Silverwolf2691, if you are the original owner of the truck and if you know that the equalizer adjuster along the frame rail has never been adjusted, then you are good to go with @Mopar1973Man's instructions.  However, if you do not know the history of that adjustment, then I recommend to back off equalizer adjuster a fair amount before adjusting the brake shoes.  This will ensure that the brake shoes seat on the anchor pin when retracted for proper adjustment.  Then follow up with the equalizer adjustment.

 

- John

[Mopar1973Man]

5 minutes ago, Tractorman said:

However, if you do not know the history of that adjustment, then I recommend to back off equalizer adjuster a fair amount before adjusting the brake shoes.

 

You want a bit of slack in the cable to ensure that the brake arms are returned FULLY. Now you can adjust your slack in the shoes using the starwheel. Once the brake shoes are lightly dragging. Now you can re-adjust the cable slack till it is just about ready to pull the cable. Why? Because I've seen cases where people adjusted the parking brake using the cable slack adjustment and have the cable pulled half the stroke and wonder why it will not hold on a slope. You gotta make sure the brake arms are FULLY returned before adjusting the slack of the shoes. Now you get a full pull and the truck holds much better than just wheeling up the slack adjustment and find out you only getting half pull and won't stay parked. 

Edited February 24, 2022 by Mopar1973Man

[Silverwolf2691]

@Tractorman, definitely not original owner, not even 3rd.. I'm number 6 or 7.. She's been passed around a bit lol. 

 

I'll keep this info in mind when I adjust the parking brakes.