Drum Brake Adjustment On My 69 Charger

[Steven Bowers]

Okay, finally fixed my coolant leaks…..next up is brake drum adjustment on all 4 wheels….please give me the proper steps to follow getting my drum brakes operating correctly…driving my Charger around the neighborhood I’m finding that the left rear wheel wants to lock up when applying the brake petal firmly…lightly the car starting to pull to the left….I have drum all the way around and non power assisted……this car has been sitting about 5 years….until recently beginning to get it out on the road…I realize I need to bleed each one but figure those of you that have done this can give me some helpful advice…..Steve

 

[Fran Blacker]

Do you have self adjusters or manual. If you have 11" HD 4wheel drums might be manual adjusters.

 

[Steven Bowers]

Do you have self adjusters or manual. If you have 11" HD 4wheel drums might be manual adjusters.

I’d have to pull one off to tell you….I have 14” rims on my car….I’m presuming they are 10” drums…I have no Manual….

 

[Jerry Hall]

Pull the left rear drum and check for brake fluid leaks, or without pulling any thing, look at the backing plate and see if it's damp. A lot of times a brake fluid leak will saturate the shoes and cause exactly what you are describing.

 

[ruffcut]

Sounds like you need to pull all the drums for a visual inspection. If the car sat for 5 years you cat bet the drums have some rust and that may cause the brake to grab also. If it were me, that's where I would start. JMO ruffcut

 

[Steven Bowers]

Sounds like you need to pull all the drums for a visual inspection. If the car sat for 5 years you cat bet the drums have some rust and that may cause the brake to grab also. If it were me, that's where I would start. JMO ruffcut

Thanks, I guess the best thing is to clean them with brake cleaner….inspect….put back together…..should I bleed all the lines…..

 

[MoparLeo]

No need for brake cleaner unless you get grease/oil on the shoes when you are done. As said before, remove all wheels for a complete inspection.
Emery cloth is good to clean the glaze off the shoes. Just like buffing your shoes after you polish them, if you have ever done that. Not many shoes are real leather anymore.
I would change/flush the brake lines. The brake fluid absorbs water and is at least 5 years old. Moisture corrodes the lines and wheel cylinder from the inside out, so you can't see it unless you flush the fluid out. A quart is less than $10.
Only use a new, sealed bottle. Old brake fluid, previously opened fluid should be tossed
On this car you would start at farthest wheel from the master cylinder and work back from there. The passenger right rear and work back.
Your Factory Service Manual will give you the correct brake adjustment procedure.

 

[RemCharger]

After doing services and repairs,, with the wheels on.. spin the tire and keep adjusting the star wheel (through the backing plate) until each wheel has some slight drag.

 

[MoparLeo]

Per the Factory Service Manual procedure...

 

[Steven Bowers]

No need for brake cleaner unless you get grease/oil on the shoes when you are done. As said before, remove all wheels for a complete inspection.
Emery cloth is good to clean the glaze off the shoes. Just like buffing your shoes after you polish them, if you have ever done that. Not many shoes are real leather anymore.
I would change/flush the brake lines. The brake fluid absorbs water and is at least 5 years old. Moisture corrodes the lines and wheel cylinder from the inside out, so you can't see it unless you flush the fluid out. A quart is less than $10. Only se a new, sealed bottle. Old brake fluid, previously opened fluid should be tossedd
On this car you would start at farthest wheel from the master cylinder and work back from there. The passenger right rear and work back.
Your Factory Service Manual will give you the correct brake adjustment procedure.

Thanks for your suggestions…..I was going to spray the cleaner on the inside of drum after sanding….I’ll keep you guys posted on the results…..I have no manual to look anything up……

 

[Fran Blacker]

Service manuals go to this website and download one. If you have a printer you can print out what you need.
https://mymopar.com/service-manuals/

 

[440 PHIXX]

My Charger has 11” drums. It has the self adjusters that never really work right. Being an R/T I thought they were HD. But the 11” police drums in the FSM don’t have auto adjusters.

 

[Steven Bowers]

Service manuals go to this website and download one. If you have a printer you can print out what you need.
https://mymopar.com/service-manuals/

Thanks for the website….

 

[Fran Blacker]

If you want to switch to manual adjusters NAPA sells the parts. Teeth are larger on manual adjusters. In top photo of manual the spring holds the bottom shoes together keeps adjuster from moving on it's own.NAPA part numbers for the spring is UP80503 manual adjusters left UP80556 and right is UP80557.
Bottom photo self adjusters.

 

[Steven Bowers]

My Charger has 11” drums. It has the self adjusters that never really work right. Being an R/T I thought they were HD. But the 11” police drums in the FSM don’t have auto adjusters.

Can you tell me how to tell heavy duty verse standard….

 

[Fran Blacker]

Think HD will be self adjusters.

 

[Steven Bowers]

If you want to switch to manual adjusters NAPA sells the parts. Teeth are larger on manual adjusters. In top photo of manual the spring holds the bottom shoes together keeps adjuster from moving on it's own.NAPA part numbers for the spring is UP80503 manual adjusters left UP80556 and right is UP80557.
Bottom photo self adjusters.View attachment 1181501 View attachment 1181502

I’m sure the bottom photo is what mine should look like…..I’ll clean them up and see what they look like

 

[Jerry Hall]

11" drums are heavy duty. I don't think there is a difference. Some cars had manual adjusters some self-adjusters. Most police brakes were manual adjusters.

 

[440 PHIXX]

The self adjusters have a cable that connects to a spring loaded plate that pulls on a star wheel to tighten the clearance when you apply the brakes in reverse. I’ve never found them to work very good, and adjust them myself. The manual adjust version won’t have the cable.

Can you tell me how to tell heavy duty verse standard….

 

[oldbee]

Nobody thought of this. Rusted up/sticking emergency brake cable. That's my bet. NAPA used to sell cables with a nylon sleeve over the cable. Worked awesome. Haven't looked for years. My NAPA replacements have been working very good for many years.