14 Bolt FF brake adjustment and setup questions.

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Strouty

Newbie
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
23
Reaction score
16
Location
Portland, Maine
I went by thickness, the thicker one was on the rear, it was about one third thicker than the other one. It does look like the length is opposite though, these are AC Delco shoes too. It was an instant difference, the parking brake worked and there was no sticking or locking up. In the original configuration during adjustment, when turning the wheel by hand, it would turn, then lock up tight, except the adjuster wasn’t tight, so it would have to be backed off and then there were barely any rear brakes with no e-brake.
 

mpyusko

OBS Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
97
Reaction score
44
Location
Upstate NY
Everything else looks good, just the shoes backwards, hopefully that solves my issues, lesson learned, I won’t reverse them next time. Now to tear them apart and put them back together.

You must be registered for see images attach
If the photo is of the passenger side, then it looks correct to me.
 

Strouty

Newbie
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
23
Reaction score
16
Location
Portland, Maine
I don’t know what to say, the way it was in that photo, I had no e-brake and you couldn’t adjust the brakes without locking the drums up. I swapped the thicker (also happens to be longer) pad to the front and instantly everything works perfectly. I have about 100 miles on it now and nothing seems weird.
 

mpyusko

OBS Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
97
Reaction score
44
Location
Upstate NY
I don’t know what to say, the way it was in that photo, I had no e-brake and you couldn’t adjust the brakes without locking the drums up. I swapped the thicker (also happens to be longer) pad to the front and instantly everything works perfectly. I have about 100 miles on it now and nothing seems weird.
Are you sure you even have brakes at all in the rear? My rule of thumb is drums are properly adjusted when the weight of your hand against the tread is enough to spin the tire, and it stops before 1 complete rotation. When both sides are properly adjusted, you should have a high pedal. Then if they are out of adjustment, pumping down to the floor (really standing on it) a few times should get them back to where they should be. (My drums are always touchy after I've been towing because I apply more pressure to the pedal to stop the truck. But normal driving, I don't apply enough pressure to keep them adjusted. So when I'm bored at a traffic light, I'll pump the brakes. ) The E-Brake should lock the drum up. But it should release when you unlock the e-brake.
So try setting them up properly, like the pic and manual describe. Get them close, and then finish them off by pumping your pedal. You can always over adjust with a tool, but your pedal will never let you.;-)
 

Schurkey

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2018
Messages
10,970
Reaction score
13,756
Location
The Seasonally Frozen Wastelands
Those are Duo-Servo rear brakes. They adjust when you apply them (firmly) in reverse. The shoes have to rotate in the reverse direction for the adjuster to function--the primary shoe loaded against the anchor pin, with the secondary shoe having a gap to the anchor pin. This is opposite the "usual' way they work--secondary shoe loaded against the anchor, with the gap to the primary side.

Pumping the pedal while at a standstill does nothing for the adjuster mechanism.

There are some brake designs where pumping the pedal can adjust the brakes...but not Duo-Servo drums.
 

Schurkey

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2018
Messages
10,970
Reaction score
13,756
Location
The Seasonally Frozen Wastelands
You must be registered for see images attach
I've finished the brake job on my 14-bolt Full-Float on the left side, except for having a leaky flare at the wheel cylinder. Still have to pull the right-side apart and deal with that brake tube/wheel cylinder.

The shoes were just like in your photo--short (but thinner) shoe to the front, long (thicker) shoe to the rear, attached to the park brake lever.

I don't know what was wrong with your assembly the first time, but you have the shoes backwards now.
 

Grimpalahat

Newbie
Joined
Aug 3, 2021
Messages
17
Reaction score
19
Location
TX
FWIW, I had this same issue on my 2000 C3500 because the shoes I bought were the same length and I put the thicker shoe to the rear. Didn't think it could make that big of a difference, but I swapped the thicker shoe to the front and the brakes work beautifully now.
 
Top