Old style backing plates

[nobears]

So, I'm tired of self adjusters that don't self adjust (even though all of the hardware is new and has a liberal coat of anti seize grease on them) so I'm wondering, has anyone tried to put the older 80s style rear drums on on a JB5 axle? Seems that's my biggest problem is my front are having to do all the work as the shoes and drums wear.

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[michael hurd]

I have all new hardware in mine and it works as it should. Are the backing plates grooved where the shoes sit? High mileage vehicles tend to have wear at the 6 points of contact. Also if the rear brakes are not bled properly they will not contribute much braking force. I bled my system multiple times before I was satisfied.

 

[TylerZ281500]

just take the self adjust off an use regular spurs

 

[sewlow]

Depending on how many miles I drive, I usually have to pull the drums & adjust the brakes very 3 or 4 months. A PITA, but I've taken into account that that's what has to be done with this stupid GM design & the crappy adjusters that are not accessible from the back of backing plates.

 

[454cid]

I'm a little lost here....... drum brakes have been self-adjusting for a long time. How would swapping to an 80's backing plate change anything? I've never heard of adjusters that couldn't be accessed from the back....... and "regualr spurs"?

 

[great white]

I'm a little lost here....... drum brakes have been self-adjusting for a long time. How would swapping to an 80's backing plate change anything? I've never heard of adjusters that couldn't be accessed from the back....... and "regualr spurs"?

Ditto.



Also, we all understand that "self adjusting" drum brakes only "self adjust" when reversing the vehicle and then using the brakes.....right?

In theory, backing plates without adjusting holes can be tightened up by doing a series of reversing stops. I say "in theory" because people usually bugger up the installation so that they don't work properly to start with...

 

[sewlow]

Gmt400 rear brakes have the adjuster on top of the axle.
The old style were on the bottom.
The old style had a window or a knock-out to be able to access that adjuster.
GMT400's have no access window. There isn't even a provision for a knock-out.

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Part #3 is the adjuster.

My '97 is a stick-shift. I use the e-brake ALL the time. That, along with the reversing & hitting the brakes, is 'theoretically' supposed to actuate the adjusters.
One of the first things I learned when I first started tinkering on vehicles was how to do a brake job. 43 damn years ago!
Taught to me by my ole man that, because he owned a fleet of cabs, could do a brake job with one eye closed, standing on one foot, & one hand behind his back. For him, it was a daily maintenance task.
When I was older, I would work Saturdays, to earn my keep, by doing brake jobs.
In other words, we know how to do this sh*t!
Between the 2 of us, neither of us has been able to get the crap adjusters on these trucks to work in the way that every other vehicle that we've ever worked, does.

 

[sewlow]

The 'old' GM style.

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Adjuster on the bottom.

 

[great white]

Well, seemed like a little bit of hostility that was not really required there but whatever gets you up in the morning I guess.

Anyways.....

I've yet to work on a set of hydraulic drums brakes that couldn't be made to auto adjust properly.

My 10 bolt worked as per, so does my current 14 bolt FF. So does every other drum brake equipped vehicle I've owned and I'm talking back to the early 60's now. Even my 62 Tbird can be made to work properly, although the wear and accumulated years make it sketchy at best. I have no doubt if I put the money into new brakes from the flanges out it would work just fine. That's just not in the cards for that vehicle though. ...

Just about every "modern" vehicle I sent out of the shop worked as per. When I say modern, I'm talking 70's and up. But then again, the customer knew exactly what did and didn't have to be replaced to make them work as designed. The ones that came back were the ones where they wouldn't pay to do the work the right way the first time....second time around and all the recommended parts later, no come backs.

Park brake is not part of the auto adjust procedure....top or bottom star adjuster is immaterial in an auto-adjusting setup. They all do the same job if working and maintained properly. It can be as simple as a little wear on a backing plate, a little wear/burr on one of the the star wheel "knibs", just not lubricated in the right places, lubricated too much or even plain old excessive brake dust gumming up the works (see aforementioned lubricated too much comment).

Some designs are a little better than others, but they all work....if properly maintained that is....

 

[michael hurd]

Well, little bit of hostility that was not really required there but whatever gets you up in the morning I guess.

Anyways.....

I've yet to work on a set of hydraulic drums brakes that couldn't be made to auto adjust properly.

My 10 bolt worked as per, so does my current 14 bolt FF. So does every other drum brake equipped vehicle I've owned and I'm talking back to the early 60's now. Even my 62 Tbird can be made to work properly, although the wear and accumulated years make it sketchy at best. I have no doubt if I put the money into new brakes from the flanges out it would work just fine. That's just not in the cards for that vehicle though. ...

Just about every "modern" vehicle I sent out of the shop worked as per. When I say modern, I'm talking 70's and up. But then again, the customer knew exactly what did and didn't have to be replaced to make them work as designed. The ones that came back were the ones where they wouldn't pay to do the work the right way the first time....second time around and all the recommended parts later, no come backs.

Park brake is not part of the auto adjust procedure....top or bottom star adjuster is immaterial in an auto-adjusting setup. They all do the same job if working and maintained properly. It can be as simple as a little wear on a backing plate, a little wear/burr on one of the the star wheel "knibs", just not lubricated in the right places, lubricated too much or even plain old excessive brake dust gumming up the works (see aforementioned lubricated too much comment).

Some designs are a little better than others, but they all work....if properly maintained that is....

Amen.