Rear brake problem, adjusting lever doesn't contact adjusting screw.

Ok, a couple of weeks ago my brakes starting making sounds, so I figured I needed to tear into them to see what was wrong. My rear brakes hadn't been changed in about 2 years, and I recently started doing all my own work (my first project about 6 months ago was new axle shaft u-joints, and a sucess!)

I live in the mountains and my drums were rusted all to hell, and were a bitch to get off. After some penetrating oil, a BFH, turning the adjusting screw the wrong way, and 2 beers, I had one side off.

First thing I noticed was a ton of rust, and the self adjusting cable coming from the anchor pin was split in half and sitting in the bottom of the drum. The inside of the drum was in great shape, and the shoes had quite a bit left on them. Given that they were rusted so bad, I decided to go ahead and put new shoes and drums on.

The guy at Advance reccommended I go ahead and replace the cylinders too, but I couldn't get the nut of on the back that connected the brake line to the cylinder because it was so rusted. I also had to have this done last night, because I need this vehicle to go back to school. So, I gave up on replacing the cylinder and just did the brakes, complete with new hardware. One side looked horrible (driver's side), and the other almost looked brand new, minus the huge amounts of rust on the drum, since both drums were so rusted and you have to replace in pairs, I did both sides. I'm sure the rust alone is enough to throw the drum out of balance.

Short version starts here:

Anyways, I get everything buttoned back up, but the adjusting lever doesn't come in contact with the adjusting screw. There is also a lot of play in the self adjuster cable. I put the drums on and spun them and they sounded like they were in contact the whole time, so I cranked the adjusting screw all the way down to bring the pads together, but they still rubbed a tiny bit. I'm guessing that they would almost touch being new pads. The cylinders were all the way in as well, so that might have something to do with the self adjuster cable being slack.

I drove it around last night, about 2am when I finished, with lots of forward and reverse stops. My old brakes would "whimper" when you let off the pedal and that is now gone.

Do you guys think it's ok to drive, or should I pull the drums and take a look, possibly take some pictures for you to look at.


Sorry for the long winded version, I wanted to get as much detail as I could.


Thanks!

Rule of thumb for us shade tree types, never take both sides apart at the same time, keep one together for reference. Maybe somebody here has a good color picture of what it is supposed to look like. I hate doing drum brakes, I always try to work out a deal with someone when that time rolls around.

There is a half moon shaped thing that the cable needs to be routed over at the top of the rear shoe, if the cable has slipped behind this it will have slack. The half moon shaped piece has to seated tightly against the shoe or things just will not lign up properly.

RichP said:

Rule of thumb for us shade tree types, never take both sides apart at the same time, keep one together for reference. Maybe somebody here has a good color picture of what it is supposed to look like. I hate doing drum brakes, I always try to work out a deal with someone when that time rolls around.

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Yeah I did the driver's side, but the left passenger side alone, then did the passenger side, so I did them one at a time, and used the other side as a reference.

I also had my Hayne's manual, and this website, http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoRearDrums1.htm

xjtrailrider said:

There is a half moon shaped thing that the cable needs to be routed over at the top of the rear shoe, if the cable has slipped behind this it will have slack. The half moon shaped piece has to seated tightly against the shoe or things just will not lign up properly.

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Yeah, the cable guide was snug, and the cable was routed over it properly.

Did someone request a nice color picture of drum brakes.

Its a D44 but will look the same as a D35 or8.25.

I had a 8.25 in the garage I just brought home. Here are pics of the drivers side and how it should be together.

Wow, I didnt reaalize the 8.25 looks so different from the D44. Ive got all three, D44, 8.25 and a D35 in our household and I thought they were all real similar.

The D-35 and the 8.25 should be similar except for the size of the shoes...I think, don't quote me!?

All of those pictures are different than mine, I'm guessing that's the older version.

I have a long spring with two equals ends on it that connects the primary and secondary shoe together, then another spring than "sits" inside the secondary shoe just for the adjuster lever, and the self adjuster cable connects to the adjuster lever. My self adjuster cable actually has a spring in it as well, and the spring/clip slides over the adjuster lever.

I have a 1998 btw.

That 8.25 is a 29 spline off of a 99-00 XJ. Its a Freebie that I picked up in NC from another member(thanks Cuz) Its going into my 90'

xjtrailrider said:

That 8.25 is a 29 spline off of a 99-00 XJ. Its a Freebie that I picked up in NC from another member(thanks Cuz) Its going into my 90'

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Woops, you're right, that's looks exactly like mine, and how I've got it setup.

I guess I'm going to drive on it, and check it out in about a week or two when I come home to change my fluids. I just don't have time to tear it apart again today, and I have to have it to drive to work. I guess it can't be any worse than it was before, and I had the adjusting screw turned all the in so the shoes were as far in as possible, and the shoes still touched the drum on the top. Maybe it'll "adjust" itself, time will tell.

JoshRountree said:

Woops, you're right, that's looks exactly like mine, and how I've got it setup.

I guess I'm going to drive on it, and check it out in about a week or two when I come home to change my fluids. I just don't have time to tear it apart again today, and I have to have it to drive to work. I guess it can't be any worse than it was before, and I had the adjusting screw turned all the in so the shoes were as far in as possible, and the shoes still touched the drum on the top. Maybe it'll "adjust" itself, time will tell.

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Turning the adjuster actually adjusts how far out the shoes are on the bottom, not the top. They will always rub a little on top because the fluid pressure in the wheel cylinder. the adjuster lets you adjust the botom of the shoes so they touch evenly. they should barely rub all the way around when you spin the drum.

I had the same problem on my 99 when I got it. It had had its brakes done not long before. The person doing it had not seated the cable pivots properly in the corresponding hole in the shoe. The top spring holds the whole thing together, and conceals the problem if you're not looking carefully. The top one of xjtrailrider's photos shows the part I mean.