OK, so I replaced my front brakes fine, no problems. When I adjusted the rear drums, using the usual curved brake tool. I overtightened them. Augghhh! Once you overtighten, it's nearly impossible to loosen them. There's a spring-loaded rocker plate that turns the star-adjuster, which in turn spreads the brakes shoes out. This is the self-adjuster that tightens when you reverse the truck.
Damn, I spent nearly 4 hours trying to get the darnéd thing loosened. Tried sticking another screwdriver to lift the plate, using an allen to turn and lift the plate. It just wouldn't work. After so many tries I ended up stripping out the rachets on the star adjuster. So finally after 4 frickin, frustrating hours at 12am I gave up!
Ending up costing me $300 + 2 days car rental while Toyota had to special order the parts and the mechanic had to fashion a custom tool to remove the drum to access the star adjuster for replacement. What should have been a simple 10 minute, no cost job ended up being 4+ hours of frustration and nearly $400 costs!
Shoot, and to think I adjusted the rears before no problem. What a costly lesson!!!!!! I'll definitely be thinking before every turn now.
OK, so I replaced my front brakes fine, no problems. When I adjusted the rear drums, using the usual curved brake tool. I overtightened them. Augghhh! Once you overtighten, it's nearly impossible to loosen them. There's a spring-loaded rocker plate that turns the star-adjuster, which in turn spreads the brakes shoes out. This is the self-adjuster that tightens when you reverse the truck.
Damn, I spent nearly 4 hours trying to get the darnéd thing loosened. Tried sticking another screwdriver to lift the plate, using an allen to turn and lift the plate. It just wouldn't work. After so many tries I ended up stripping out the rachets on the star adjuster. So finally after 4 frickin, frustrating hours at 12am I gave up!
Ending up costing me $300 + 2 days car rental while Toyota had to special order the parts and the mechanic had to fashion a custom tool to remove the drum to access the star adjuster for replacement. What should have been a simple 10 minute, no cost job ended up being 4+ hours of frustration and nearly $400 costs!
Shoot, and to think I adjusted the rears before no problem. What a costly lesson!!!!!! I'll definitely be thinking before every turn now.
Think that sucks? I've done the same darned thing--twice!!! My most recent experience was just to check the rears after redoing the seals. Did the same thing about a year ago b/c I was turning the wheel the wrong way. In my efforts to remove the rear drum I cracked the drum by cranking too hard on the removal bolts, then stripped the star adjuster with my brake spoon. Just to finish things off I bent the rear backing plate using the brute force option. Once I finally got everything off...about 2-3 hours later, I realized I was turning the starwheel in the wrong direction.
Called local dealer, as my Tundra was manufactured in 99, it was hard to find the right adjuster. The guy said this was the right one, got it home, unzipped the brakes. Wrong one!
Zipped everthing back up again, back to the dealer with a digital photo. He gave me the correct adjuster, back home get everything unzipped. WRONG SIDE!!! GRRRR!
Back to the dealer, he felt so bad about the wrong side thing he let me help myself to a nice black TRD hat with flames.
Get home, installed the starwheel, used a ratchet strap connected to a stud in my garage to coax the backing plate back to near where it belongs.
$50 for the adjuster and 5 hours later, the brakes were fine after all. I etched the direction of the starwheel adjustment on each drum with an arrow and saved the old starwheel in case I had to figure this out again.
Upgrades: PA 3" Body Lift, Powertrax No-Slip rear, Detroit ezLocker front, Fabtech/Fox front, Wheeler's AALs, TC Front Diff Drop, 16 x 8 MB Wheels, 285/75R16 Goodyear Wrangler MT/Rs, Pioneer Head Unit, Infiniti Reference speakers [front and rear], 150 W bridged amp to bandpass enclosure, 6 CD changer with IR remote, iPod mini and xm hardwired into stereo, Toyota drop in bedliner, and Tonneau cover
Sorry guys. I know this info is late for you but maybe it will help some one else.
With both rear wheels in the air (hopefully on jack stands) and the trans in neutral you can spin the tire (or turn the brake drum) while you are adjusting the rear brakes. Adjust them to the point that they start to make a scraping sound and stop there. Adjust the other side the same way.
This will get them close enough that the self-adjuster can bring them into the correct adjustment in a short period of time. Using the park brake repeatedly or going forward and stop and reversing and stop several times will allow the self-adjuster to do its job.
Using the park brake repeatedly or going forward and stop and reversing and stop several times will allow the self-adjuster to do its job.
Parking brake application...yes.
Backing and braking...no, not on Toyotas.
Everything you step on the parking brake pedal the self-adjusters are actuated. They do not overadjust.
The 99-2000 Tundra brakes had a star wheel with 30 notches. It did overadjust the brakes. It was replaced with the 26 notch star wheel adjuster that is the same as other years (not sure if the part number is the same).
Ken
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I only used it when I replaced my rear pads, just to get the new pads in. did not need a tol just pushed the spring lever back and spun the star wheel and it worked, otherwise the brakes are self adjusting.
Parking brake application...yes.
Backing and braking...no, not on Toyotas.
Quote:
Hi Ken,
Please check your Haynes manual.
page 9-2, 1 General Information, about half way through the second paragraph it reads
<drum brakes incorporate an adjustment mechanism which is activated as the brakes are applied>
The Haynes Manual is wrong. On a Tundra the only self adjusting mechanism for the rear brakes is from use of the parking brake. Use of the parking brake moves the parking brake lever of the front shoe turning the adjuster.
....
Checking operation of automatic adjusting mechanism
a) Move the parking brake lever of the front shoe back and forth. Check that the adjuster turns.
.....
The Haynes manual says the self-adjuster works off of the brake pedal and the Toyota factory manual says it works off of the park brake. You would have to think that the Toyota factory manual would be the correct one.
As you already know I thought the self-adjuster worked off of both.
Not being one to go down with out a fight I had to prove (if only to myself) which one was right.
I pulled the L/R drum off, marked the star on the adjuster and backed it off ¾ turn. Re-assembled it and stopped the truck in forward and reverse 15 times so that there would be no mistake.
My hat’s off to you boys. It only works off of the park brake.
Within this thread I can easily tell that my patience has grown too thin. Actually (for me) I’m lucky I lasted this long.
You’re a good bunch of guys and gals and I do not wish to aggravate you with my bullheaded stubbornness.
Any future posts that I make will be confined to the “We Got Jokes” thread which I enjoy very much.
Bye.
The Haynes manual says the self-adjuster works off of the brake pedal and the Toyota factory manual says it works off of the park brake. You would have to think that the Toyota factory manual would be the correct one.
As you already know I thought the self-adjuster worked off of both.
Not being one to go down with out a fight I had to prove (if only to myself) which one was right.
I pulled the L/R drum off, marked the star on the adjuster and backed it off ¾ turn. Re-assembled it and stopped the truck in forward and reverse 15 times so that there would be no mistake.
My hat’s off to you boys. It only works off of the park brake.
Within this thread I can easily tell that my patience has grown too thin. Actually (for me) I’m lucky I lasted this long.
You’re a good bunch of guys and gals and I do not wish to aggravate you with my bullheaded stubbornness.
Any future posts that I make will be confined to the “We Got Jokes” thread which I enjoy very much.
Bye.
Nah, it takes a big man to accept a mistake. I don't think you crossed the line--snotty yes; line crosser-no.
If you really want to grind an axe come over to the Poltical Discussions threads....
Upgrades: PA 3" Body Lift, Powertrax No-Slip rear, Detroit ezLocker front, Fabtech/Fox front, Wheeler's AALs, TC Front Diff Drop, 16 x 8 MB Wheels, 285/75R16 Goodyear Wrangler MT/Rs, Pioneer Head Unit, Infiniti Reference speakers [front and rear], 150 W bridged amp to bandpass enclosure, 6 CD changer with IR remote, iPod mini and xm hardwired into stereo, Toyota drop in bedliner, and Tonneau cover
Be Careful When Adjusting Rear Brakes!
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