Need help/info/advice on rear brakes of 04 DC.

[auslandt]

I am finally getting round to replacing the rear shoes on my 04 Tundra. I was highly surprised that there was still between 3 and 6 mm of material left. My truck has almost 80,000 miles and the rear brakes have never been worked on yet.

Well I got it all apart, cleaned up, lubed in the right places, but something just didn't look right. After looking and fiddling with both sides OVER and OVER again, I noticed THERE IS NO BRAKE ADJUSTER LEVER!!! ON EITHER SIDE!!! This isn't a thing of me misplacing it, it just WASN'T there to begin with.

Are the 04 DC 4x4 Tundras supposed to have a lever to push on the star gear to adjust the brakes?

This would explain why my tundra has gotten to 80,000 miles without even wearing the pads down to about 1/2.

Please someone tell me if there should not be another lever to adjust the brakes. There is the parking brake lever, but no lever that actually touches the star adjuster.

[MEvang]

The self adjuster lever is a secondary lever attached to the parking brake lever. Check out the write up here for pictures: Tundra Rear Brake Tutorial
Mike

[auslandt]

That was the thread and document that I was following. It is that secondary lever that does not exist on my Tundra. The only lever is the parking brake lever.

However, there is a thin piece of metal with a spring attached to the REAR shoe. This ends up touching the star adjuster in such a way that the adjuster "cogs" against this piece of metal ensuring it rotates only one direction.

I am no brake expert. I am wondering if this piece of metal ends up adjusting the brakes by braking in reverse (older style adjustment).

[MEvang]

Hey can you post some pictures? It sounds like it's there, they may have changed the design some by 04.
Mike

[auslandt]

I should have though of that when it was apart. I had to get it running so I was rushed. I'll take it off and snap some pics.

It's manually adjusted now so it's at least safe to drive.