[NeedsSomeWork]

I just replaced the rear brakes in my '80 Bronco. I replaced the shoes, springs, wheel cylinders, drums, booster, master cylinder and bled the system. I just bought this Bronco recently. The rear brakes were not working. I thought that replacing all this stuff would solve the problem. The brakes still aren't engaging. I read in the Haynes manual that driving in reverse automatically adjusts them. I tried this with no success. Is there a specfic way to do it? Also, the emergency brake isn't working. Do I have to adjust this seperately? I followed the Haynes manual when installing the new parts so I'm pretty confident everything was installed correctly. There is a slight improvement in braking so I think they're partially engaging.

 

[BamaBronc]

I'm still thinking on this so I'll ask are the front brakes working properly?

 

[79F150]

You have in the backing plate behind the drum. If you go to an auto parts store they make an bent screw driver made for this. It's called a brake spoon. Jack the rear end up and take the wheels off and stick the screw driver in the hole and adjust the round ajuster on the bottom between the shoes with the drum on until you get just a small amount of drag. Then do the other side and all done.

 

[NeedsSomeWork]

Thanks for the tip! I'll try it today.

The front brakes do work well, thankfully.

 

[ValkariaKid]

Don't take the tires off to adjust them!

Just pop off the little rubber oval shaped plug at the botom of the backng plate, and turn the star adjuster with a screwdriver (or the brake spoon if you get it)

Adjust them until you can just feel a slight drag as you spin the wheel.

Good Luck

-Paul

 

[Leonard]

i usually adjust till, with tire on, i get about 1-2 rotations out of the tire.

 

[climber]

I use to adjust as much as possible and then losen it, just to have all centrated. Normally done with the brake pedal, but that´s impossible with no pressure. Correct bleeding? Some cars are difficult to bleed, without pressure from master side. If I´m bleeding for example the rear axle, rise it over the center of the front axle. With a plastic tube on both bleeding nipples open and just wait. That was often the only way on old Jaguar´s. I hope that you understand my Swenglish.

 

[NeedsSomeWork]

Thanks for the tips guys! I got them working well. It was just a matter of adjusting them with the brake spoon. The emergency brake is another matter. I tried adjusting it and broke the adjuster so its off to the bone yard to find another one.