Brake adjustment

ScottG

Look here: https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/167759/#Comment_167759

BrianZ

A few years ago, I posted what I learned about how the mechanisms inside our drum brakes & their manual adjustments work (see previous page).  Because I just recently adjusted our brakes, I wanted to document here,  while it's still fresh in my mind, my general approach as it relates to how our T@Bs are built, plus a couple of new (to me) tools that I found helpful.

Our T@B is not a "boondock" model, so clearance underneath is minimal, plus it's necessary to use a jack stand underneath to allow safely rotating the wheels by hand to check for drag while adjusting.  The photo below shows how I used a socket wrench with a scissor jack at the forward end of the T@B's support bar, to get the jack stand underneath it (or use whatever jack you have that fits)..

With the help of a deep socket with an extension bar, I got clearance from the step to jack it up.  This was the same approach I  took about a year ago when changing a flat tire on the side of the road. The wrench handle also fits inside a steel pipe "cheater bar" I can use for extra leverage, plus a flexible joint that allows angling the handle away from the trailer as needed when cranking it up.
[PS:  I should add here that whenever I work under our T@B like this calls for, I keep it hitched to the TV and always work on a paved surface, for added safety.  If I am just greasing wheel bearings, but need to lift a wheel just enough to spin it, then I may just use my reinforced rear scissor jack/stabilizer to get the wheel up, and add chocks to the opposite wheel.]

The next photo, from underneath on the opposite side of the wheel, shows the jack stand placed near the middle of the support bar, which you can see doesn't extend as far to the rear.  This leaves sufficient room to approach from behind the tire to work on the brake adjustment wheel, which is inside the rubber cap at the red arrow..

So, the adjustment wheel is found inside the rear rubber cap on the right/passenger side, while on the left/driver side, the adjustment wheel is found behind the forward rubber cap, as indicated by the red arrow in the next photo of the other wheel with caps removed..

The star wheel brake adjustment wheel can be seen at an angle through the left rear hole, but it is accessible through the forward hole with an adjustment tool.  The small yellow clamp attached to the jack stand is holding my light, the only one small enough that I found to be useful in this tiny space.  Previously, I did adjustments by feel and using a screw driver.  So this is the first time I've actually seen the wheel, and I really just wanted to get a photo of it.

(About that tiny flashlight, I highly recommend it, if you have a baseball style cap on which to clip it.  I use it often while camping, especially inside the T@B when looking for things stored in dimly lit spaces, and it frees both hands, so great when you need two.  And when outside, it has a red lamp you can use to be friendly to other campers.  It's inexpensive & well made, plus uses one AAA battery.  Will put a link below.)

Below is a closer view of the star-wheel adjustment wheel, and you can see the top edge of the spring that connects front & rear shoes together to pull them off of the drum when brakes are not applied.  It also keeps the star wheel from turning by itself.

And finally, I used the proper brake adjustment tool for the first time, and I have to admit that it was handier than using a screwdriver, because it gives you a better angle to grab the teeth on that adjustment wheel..

I'll post a link for this tool below too.

Here's a recap of my points..

1.  Jack at front of the support bar

2.  Jack stand at middle of support

3.  Adjust brakes from behind tires

4.  Adjustment wheel locations:
- rear hole on passenger side
- forward hole on driver side

5.  Tighten brakes by turning the wheel upwards (up-tight!).  That is, place the tool blade low on the wheel & pry it upwards by pushing the tool handle downwards.

PS:
You don't really need a flashlight to see the gear inside the adjustment hole, unless you forget where it is, but if you are using the proper tool, you'll likely be able to feel when the tool's blade engages in the gear/star wheel.  The tool also fits the hole & is wider than a screwdriver, so less fishing around.

Bushnell TRKR 85L Hat Light

https://a.co/d/8cveFAe

Drum Brake Adjusting Tool - 287D

https://a.co/d/1xkAMD4

Horigan

I didn't see it mentioned in the prior posts, but I think it's important to understand how far to tighten the brakes.  Prior to adjusting them, spin the wheel to get a sense for how easy it spins with the brake shoes loose.  Tighten the shoes all the way until the brakes are firmly applied, then back off a few (4 or 5) clicks until it spins as easily as it did before.  You may here some scuffing sound of the shoes lightly touching the drum, but as long as it spins as freely as it did before, they are adjusted correctly.  It's a good idea after this to check the temperature of the drums with a short drive to confirm they are not dragging excessively.

tabiphile

@BrianZ nicely walks through the adjustment of the brakes and correctly shows the use of a jack stand. That said, the scissor jack is arguably about the worst style of jack to use for serving a trailer, a car, anything. If you are working in the comfort of your own garage a floor jack is both safer and easier to use. Scissor jacks are an accident waiting to happen.

FreewheelinFranklin

Found the repair manual  here: https://www.dexteraxle.com/user_area/content_media/raw/600-8k_complete_service_manual.pdf