I have just about zero pressure on my rear brakes when the parking brake lever is fully engaged. I looked in Haynes (worthless) and the FSM and wasn't able to draw any conclusions on how to proceed.

The tensioner bracket/cable balancer is covered in rust and I've soaked it in P.B. multiple times over the past couple weeks - no go there.

I've read that inside the drums there is a "star" adjuster that can move the shoes and thus tighten your parking brakes along with it. I didn't know if this system applied to a 1999 (non-ABS).

Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

Thank you.

 

an easier, lazier way to adjust this is to get some speed in reverse, faster than idle, than to pump the brakes firmly. do this a few times than try out the e-brake. if its not enough repeat the above process. this is for rear drum brakes of course

 

So basically, drive backwards (in an open area obviously) at a decent speed and then aggressively pump the brake pedal? Then look to see if the tension has changed in the e-brake? I'll give it a shot tomorrow, but I have a feeling I will be pulling off the rear tires.

 

I have heard of some weird things but nothing like this ^ doubt it works but hey worth a try i guess.......

 

yes do this about 3-4 times than check the tension. if the tension doesnt change than try hitting the brakes a little harder next time as the adjuster might be stuck. and you dont want to pump aggressively as much as you want to brake aggressively. i usually end up hitting the brakes about 4 times before i come to a complete stop with the first pump of the brake being hardest. i also forgot to mention that this will only work if your adjuster is properly working. when i first got my jeep i tried this and it didnt work. turns out the last person who did the brakes didnt do them right.. =/

if this doesnt work than there should be a plug on the back of the drum brake(inside of the wheel) which you can remove and be able to adjust them with a flat screw driver there by turning that star wheel. but i would try the reverse method because of the ease.

this is what the automatic adjusters are for and how they work. whenever you decide to change shoes and not put the drum on a lathe you will have a lip on the parts of the drum where the shoes dont touch when the brake is applied. thus when putting the drum back on you can only adjust this until you hit the lip of the groove. after the drum is on there will still be space for adjustment and your not going to be able to reach the adjuster inside. the rest is done with the technique i stated.

 

I thought this technique would adjust the braking action on the rears but would not really have much of an effect on the e-brake.

I do use the back-up technique on all drum brake vehicles and follow this same procedure - I just didn't think that it would offset a stretched e-brake cable.

 

There is an adjustment for the e brake behind the driver's side rocker under the car. It would be that rusty thing with the parking brake cable on one side and the 2 drum cables on the other.


Getting a drum tool you can pop out the rubber grommet on the brake shield and manually adjust the tension. If the brakes are too loose (they clunk when you hit the brakes) the auto tension will not work....ask me how I know

 

the e brake only brakes the rears, hence why the 2 e-brake cables go to the rears only. but u r right, sometimes it doesnt set of the stretched cables

he already said the underside adjuster is wayy to rusted to adjust. how do you know? lol

 

replaced brake shoes and put new drums on... thought the auto adjustment would adjust them... it didn't. Had to pull and adjust before experiencing proper braking action.