Adjusting rear drum brakes

Tiny
DONBREW
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 MAZDA PROTEGE
I just replaced the rear brake shoes on my car. The question is "how do I adjust the rear brakes?" There is no star adjuster, and no access holes in the backing plate. I had to set the adjuster lever all the way loose in order to get the drum on, and now the parking brake does almost nothing.
Saturday, February 19th, 2011 AT 8:36 PM

8 Replies

Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
These brake are self adjusting hold your foot on the brake pedal and work the parking brake handle up and down many times you will feel the handle getting tighter as the shoes adjust.

This guide should help.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-rear-brake-shoes-and-drums

Please let us know if you need anything else to get the problem fixed.

Cheers
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Saturday, February 19th, 2011 AT 9:08 PM
Tiny
DONBREW
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That is what I thought I had done. I guess I must take the drums back off and investigate more. So, it is the parking brake that does the self adjusting, not backing up? Thanks!
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Saturday, February 19th, 2011 AT 9:54 PM
Tiny
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Yes each time the brakes or parking brake is applied the shoes adjust. Check the diagram below.
Image (Click to make bigger)
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Saturday, February 19th, 2011 AT 9:58 PM
Tiny
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Thanks, I guess I did something wrong. I will re-do tomorrow when my back feels better.
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Saturday, February 19th, 2011 AT 10:08 PM
Tiny
DONBREW
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Ah ha, I think I see. Both the ratchet and the adjusting plate should be touching the backing plate? I think I pushed only the ratchet back.
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Saturday, February 19th, 2011 AT 10:30 PM
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
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You get it adjusted?
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Monday, February 21st, 2011 AT 6:35 PM
Tiny
DONBREW
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  • 5 POSTS
Yes, thank you much. It turned out I am a dummy, one of the parking brake cables slipped out of the catch and I could not see it (due to malfunctioning bi-focals). Even though the picture you provided is different from mine, it was enough to figure out. Turns out this job should have been one of the easiest and fastest brake jobs, but I managed to give it two days.
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Monday, February 21st, 2011 AT 6:45 PM
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
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Yea no fun getting old. I cannot see anything under dash any more and there is not enough light under-hood.
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Monday, February 21st, 2011 AT 7:08 PM

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