AutoAdjusters

[mpuvdd]

Hello everyone,
I need some help deciding as to whether or not the automatic adjuster in the picture below has the right adjuster lever. It's on a 71 F-250. It's also the front left brake in the picture. It looks to me as if the adjuster lever should be turning the adjuster screw the opposite direction of how it's set up now. It also seems like when I drive the truck I have front brakes for a while but then lose then over the week. Is it possible for the adjuster screw to be threaded wrong and therefore be swaped with the other side??? The brake system is all brand new as well. Thanks a lot
mpuvdd

[fordman]

what axle is that front/ rear type? and which side of the truck is that? the adjuster star wheel should line up with the hole in the rear of the backing plate.when you adjust it after it backs off does it tighten them?

[m-mman]

After a brake is assembled like you show you can always TEST the adjusting mechanism.

Pull the cable back halfway between the guide on the shoe and the hook on the lever.
This will pull the lever away from the star wheel. Then when you release it, does it hit the star wheel and (hopefully) adjust it one click?
Then look to see that when the lever hits the star wheel one click, it it turns the thread such that the adjuster gets LONGER. You want the brake shoes to be forced OUTWARD against the drum by the adjuster mechanism.


If the threads are working to make the adjuster SHORTER you have swapped them from Right to Left.

If the lever doesnt hit the star wheel at all, the cable is too short. The lever should contact about the center of the star wheel.

[mpuvdd]

what axle is that front/ rear type? and which side of the truck is that?

It's a Dana 44 heavy duty and the pic shows the front driver-side one

So, I'm guessing I got the threads flip-flopped with the passenger side brake. Are they really threaded differently?

[fordman]

yes and no. if the threads would be flipped the star wheel wouldnt line up with the adjuster hole on the back of the backing plate.

[m-mman]

Yes, the adjusters come in both Right and Left handed threads so that the auto adjusters will work properly based on direction of wheel roatation and direction of travel of the adjusting lever.

All MANUAL adjusters are Right handed threads. (and they have the coarse number of star points)

Auto adjuster star wheels have fine numbers of star points.

[mpuvdd]

Dang! Well I guess I must have gotten them reversed...that would make the most sense.
I appreciate the feedback guys, thanks

[mpuvdd]

Just for clarification...they were, in fact, reversed. Each adjuster has either a right-hand or left-hand thread.