FT DRUM BRAKE ADJUSTMENT QUEST.

[XMAN JR]

My dads 67 GTX has front drum brakes. Everything is new. When you put the brakes on it pulls to the right a little. My dad did some adjusting one time & its a little better but still not right. He never told me what he did. Anyone know what to do to fix it ?

 

[dadsbee]

Back the right shoes off or tighten up the left ones so they engage at the same time.

 

[Bill Monk]

With the drums off, measure the widest point on the widest of the 2 sides with a micrometer and adjust the other side to match. While you are in there you might as well check everything out.

 

[Yatzee]

My dads 67 GTX has front drum brakes. Everything is new. When you put the brakes on it pulls to the right a little. My dad did some adjusting one time & its a little better but still not right. He never told me what he did. Anyone know what to do to fix it ?

Are you familiar with adjusting the brakes via the access holes in the backing plate where the cover plug is inserted ? If so, and you know the direction the adjuster star wheel has to turn to tighten the shoes to the drum, adjust the side opposite to the side that pulls, up one click at a time and test drive the car or listen for equal brake drag on both sides. It's not always as simple as an adjustment if the shoes are contaminated with grease or brake fluid. Severe dust build-up can cause issues. Air in the system lines can also cause havock. There are a few good videos on You Tube that will assist you in finer adjustments but they really must be done with the wheels mounted.

 

[Bill Monk]

Are you familiar with adjusting the brakes via the access holes in the backing plate where the cover plug is inserted ? If so, and you know the direction the adjuster star wheel has to turn to tighten the shoes to the drum, adjust the side opposite to the side that pulls, up one click at a time and test drive the car or listen for equal brake drag on both sides. It's not always as simple as an adjustment if the shoes are contaminated with grease or brake fluid. Severe dust build-up can cause issues. Air in the system lines can also cause havock. There are a few good videos on You Tube that will assist you in finer adjustments but they really must be done with the wheels mounted.

Done it and you're right, it can be done but by the time you drive it in between each adjustment then repeat, you can just jack it up, pull the wheels and do it once if you have a mic laying around, I think it actually saves time and you get the advantage of a look see while you are in there. You can use a ruler or tape measure if you don't have a mic but that's a lot harder to eyeball and it doesn't take much difference side to side to feel it on the street.

 

[khryslerkid]

I'll adjust the brakes adjuster from the hole in the back of the backing plate until the shoes just start to drag. They make a adjustment tool that is flat and has a slight angle to it. You can make one out of an old screwdriver also.

This is the left front. You can see that the wheel turns from the top down. The plate against it keeps it from going the opposite way.

If you tighten it too much, you'll have to use a real small screwdriver to hold the plate out, away from the adjuster so you can turn it back.

What I'm describing is doing this from the back, through the adjustment holes.

I'll go to the extent of turning the adjuster until it's tight, push the plate away from the adjuster and turn it back until the drum just starts to turn. That normally gets both sides the same.

Now if you only have a spring that goes over the adjuster, you can turn it either direction. That's the older style brake setup.

 

[65wgn440]

Good rule of thumb is to adjust each side until, using moderate force, you give the tire a spin, and it just completes one revolution then stops. Use the same force to spin each tire, and the adjustment should be good, as long as the brakes are clean and in decent shape.

 

[AR67GTX]

This is what my 67 GTX's brakes look like inside - manual adjustment only. I've found it to be some trial and error. Adjust then go for a drive to center the brakes and then jack it up and do a fine adjustment to even them up. If it pulls slightly to one side, tighten the opposite side a click or two. If the rear seems to step out in one direction - same process back there.

 

[Johnpat]

Dumb question,longest shoe goes on back side.
I also start by tightening until the tire won't turn
This centers the shoes in the drum.
Then loosen until you can just start to be able
to spin the the tire with some drag.
Go from side to side so they feel the same.
Works for me.

 

[Ranger16]

I swear this is just the nature of the beast (though I can't say as I remember it on my original Road Runner back in '69). I have the same problem, but what I have noticed is that it seems to happen more after driving a while and the shoes get heated up. I've even used a brake shoe caliper to be sure both are the same and it still happens. I'm learning to live with it unless some one here comes up with something I haven't tried yet.

 

[khryslerkid]

If you have self adjusters, all you have to do is back up and hit the brakes. You might have to do it more than once.

 

[miller]

Old school way I've always adjusted drum brakes, wheels off the ground, tighten the adjuster until the tire is locked, then back off until it turns free. Count each 'click'. Same thing on the other side, but counting the same number of clicks on the first side, when backing off.
That makes the brake adjustment even, from side to side.

Same adjustment on self adjusters, though like Kid says, have to push the adjusting plate off while backing out the adjuster.

 

[Ranger16]

My '69 Road Runner does not have self adjusters. Not sure about the OP's '67 GTX, but I'd suspect it to be the same.

 

[AR67GTX]

For manual adjustment only brakes, I'm not entirely confident that if the drums have been off and the shoes disturbed, simply tightening the brakes before backing them off - adequately centers the shoes sufficiently to always prevent some pulling during stops. Maybe just me but I would want to at least pull it down the driveway and in reverse while applying the brakes a couple of times.

 

[XMAN JR]

Everything is new on them. I think the backing plates & the spindles are the only things my dad didn't replace.

 

[69L48Z27]

You assume that the pull is the brakes, it very well could be. Don't rule out things like tires, alignment, road crown, etc.

If the car has replaced steering and suspension parts make sure it's been aligned before you worry about any brake pulling.

 

[XMAN JR]

You assume that the pull is the brakes, it very well could be. Don't rule out things like tires, alignment, road crown, etc.

If the car has replaced steering and suspension parts make sure it's been aligned before you worry about any brake pulling.

New tires, new alignment, It does it every time you put the brakes on no matter the road surface. Its done it ever since the car has been. We didn't drive it much. We had other things & other projects going on. So we didn't look into it & time went on & dad passed away.

 

[miller]

New tires, new alignment, It does it every time you put the brakes on no matter the road surface. Its done it ever since the car has been.

Alright...everything new. Are the brakes self adjusters, or manual?

Either way, really doesn't matter...bottom line is, it's all mechanical. Brake shoes against a brake drum. If their adjusted equally, should stop straight.
So, a couple questions...things to look at...to find the reason. I'd suggest pulling both wheels, and drums off the front, then compare things from side to side. Are the shoes mounted right? Shorter shoe goes in the front. Same width? All the parts and pieces in place?
Kinda hard to do now, but usually before installing drum brakes, you drop the shoes into the drum...to see if they fit right...and how much contact you get, from shoe to drum.
Even if all looks good, how about the wheel bearings? Even if new, are they adjusted right, and even. If one is tighter than the other, you get drag on that side.