Adjusting the E-Brake (Handbrake) Shoes

[Kai]

This is going to sound horribly stupid but...how, and with what tools, are you supposed to adjust these? BR-45, Step 9, in the TSRM, is incredibly vague and gives very little details on how to accomplish this.

The shoes have 1.5mm of material left on them, and look reasonably new.

I just replaced the discs & pads, so it's quick enough for me to jack it up and remove the caliper/torque plate if i need to...but i can't see what i'm supposed to do, other than remove the rubber bung from the disc...and if i even put the discs on in the right place to allow access to the hole...

Seriously, pictures will help, i'm stranded til i get this fixed.

 

[IJ.]

You use a flat screwdriver to turn the starwheel until you can't spin the rotor (use wheel nuts to hold the rotor onto the Hub) then back off the starwheel a couple of clicks.

 

[Kai]

Right - gotcha - just had a look at the assembly of it all in a diagram someone picked out for me in FC...can the adjuster be REMOVED without removing the shoes, if it's seized, or do i have to strip the whole assembly?

 

[IJ.]

Right - gotcha - just had a look at the assembly of it all in a diagram someone picked out for me in FC...can the adjuster be REMOVED without removing the shoes, if it's seized, or do i have to strip the whole assembly?

You can pull the shoes apart and it'll drop/wiggle out.
(might have to unclip the 1/4 turn pins)

 

[te72]

I've heard of drum brakes exploding when taken apart, is this a risk with refreshing our E-brakes? Something I read in an old Rock Auto newsletter 'blunders' section.

 

[hvyman]

Only if you press the pedal with the drum off.

If you pull the drum/rotor off sometimes it will be harder if you don't loosen the adjustment first cause of the lip they have from rarely being changed.

 

[te72]

Ahh, I believe that story mentioned something about having someone else press the pedal to 'see' how it all functioned before they took it apart. Thanks for clarifying.