Self adjusting rear drum brake questions

[Scorzany]

OK, maybe I'm over thinking this. I don't know. Did lots of research but just can't find the right answer. Maybe someone here can help me understand and take just a couple minutes of their time.

86 CJ7
Rear drum brakes

Did rear brake job. Shoes, springs, brake cylinder, etc.

OK, well.... when I put the "self adjusting" parts on the adjuster lever does not CLICK when I rotate the star wheel. It just sits on the side of the wheel. It doesn't rub against the teeth, or mesh with the teeth, nothing So I figured out eventually that I can adjust it manually (using the back holes). But I bought the self adjusting kit? I think the adjuster lever is supposed to "click" on the teeth as you rotate the wheel shouldn't it?

The HAYNES book parts are exact as the ones I have. But it does say there are non self-adjusting rear drum brakes out there.

I am missing something. Either I don't have the right adjuster lever that clicks with the teeth on the adjusting screw, or I just have a manual adjusting rear drum brakes. My adjustment lever just hooks into the shoe hole. There is no pin and spring for it like other drum setups I've seen.

Just trying to figure it out. Hope someone can help.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Compare your re-assembly to a picture in the FSM.
They were self-adjusting, when first sold.
LG

 

[Scorzany]

Compare your re-assembly to a picture in the FSM.
They were self-adjusting, when first sold.
LG

The parts I have are exactly like the FSM. It is for my year and make.

It must not be self-adjusting. The parts I bought must be mis-labeled as self-adjusting when in fact they are not. There is no pin and spring for the adjuster lever to work with the adjuster screw teeth and self-adjust. The Haynes manual even shows early model CJs with these pins/spings and says that early model CJ's are self-adjusting. Pic on 9-7. The pic above that just says late model CJ drum brake components. No pins/springs on adjuster lever on that. Then it describes procedure for self-adjusting an non self-adjusting rear drum brakes on 9-8.

So basically I have a non-self adjusting rear drums using mis-labeled and described parts. That's causing my confusion.

Could I be right on this thinking? That late model CJ's like mine did not come from the factory with self-adjusting drum brakes and only earlier models did. Just making sure cause brakes are important! LOL

 

[Scorzany]

I probably just have the adjuster lever on wrong some kind of way. Some little tidbit I'm missing. It just wouldn't mesh with the teeth to click as i extended the screw manually. I'll try again in the morning.

 

[Scorzany]

What's driving me crazy is the new parts are also exactly like the old parts!!!

I haven't done the other rear drum so I'll really examine and take tons of pics of that!!!!!! I took some on the one I did but really didn't pay too much attention to the adjustment screw and lever exactly how they work together.

I will fiddle with the other drum adjustment screw and lever before I take it apart. LOL

 

[oldyeller]

If memory serves me, doesn't the emergency brake cable connect to the adjuster along with a return spring? Don't feel bad I just finished installing a new master cylinder and couldn't get the brakes to bleed out, turns out the rebuilt MC was defective. Installed a new booster/MC package, now brakes will throw you through the windshield. Huge improvement. Good luck with the adjusters.

 

[Scorzany]

If memory serves me, doesn't the emergency brake cable connect to the adjuster along with a return spring? Don't feel bad I just finished installing a new master cylinder and couldn't get the brakes to bleed out, turns out the rebuilt MC was defective. Installed a new booster/MC package, now brakes will throw you through the windshield. Huge improvement. Good luck with the adjusters.

I think that's for a different type of self adjusting rear drum brake set up.

 

[hagar]

There are different screw adjusters for the 20 and the 44 rear axle.
Maybe you got wrong parts...and the owner before you too.

 

[Scorzany]

There are different screw adjusters for the 20 and the 44 rear axle.
Maybe you got wrong parts...and the owner before you too.

OMG look at this....

https://www.quadratec.com/products/56215_905.htm

"This kit is for the Dana 44 offered in CJ's part way through their final year of production."

Thanks hagar.

I wonder if my current setup will still work? Just manually set pads?

 

[oldyeller]

Scorzany, I looked at the image of the rebuild kit and I didn't see a ratchet mechanism like the one I have, but like you said there are different brake set ups out there. Like you said earlier you should be able to refer to the side you haven't done. Good luck again.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Stay away from anything marked 'Crown'!
LG

 

[Scorzany]

OK found the problem. Everything good! Will explain later what happened in this thread. I will also be posting in my build thread more detail of the rear brake drum job. Thanks for any and all advice/input given! Appreciate it.

 

[Scorzany]

Here is what happened.

When I attached the parking brake lever on the new shoe I still had the lever attached to the parking brake cable. When I put this assembly back in position I had somehow rotated the cable a full revolution to get the shoe in position and this caused the assembly to slightly angle outwards from cable tension. This caused the adjuster lever to be angled slightly outward as well when it was attached because the parking brake lever was pushing against it and causing it to "miss" the teeth of the adjusting screw. Didn't take much to make it miss I can tell you but that was the problem.

Under normal installation the parking brake lever does NOT touch the adjuster lever when its installed. Mine was and pushing the adjuster lever out of position ever so slightly.

It's all good now. Everything works, clicks, and adjusts like it should. Hope I explained it good enough to understand what went wrong with my installation of rear drum brakes. LOL Looking at the untouched one really helped me troubleshoot. So that's good advice to do ONE at a time. Haha

Doing rear brake drums wasn't that bad. Never did one all by myself but did help my dad on some of them back in the day. Doing the second one was a snap after I had done the first one.

Thanks again for all the responses to my issue.