Newb brake question

[Frontier719]

I just replaced the rear brake rotors and shoes and I'm wondering how exactly the brakes should feel.

I watched all the videos on YouTube and read a couple of the how-to posts on here and I set them so I could feel the shoes dragging when I spun the wheels.

On my test drive after the install, I pulled the e-brake all the way and it barely slowed the car. Eventually it would have stopped but I would say by pulling the e-brake, I was using about 5% of the braking force had I pressed the brake pedal.

With the car in drive, I set the e-brake and the 4Runner could role slightly. This was on a small, but not steep at all incline.

On flat pavement with the 4Runner in gear, the e-brake will hold the car, but just barely.

How does this sound? It sounds not good enough to me.

Thanks

 

[SilverRidgeRunner1]

Just sounds like u need to adjust the rear drum brakes
https://youtu.be/CrAFgGtNTgY

 

[Frontier719]

Just sounds like u need to adjust the rear drum brakes
https://youtu.be/CrAFgGtNTgY

Well, yes, but how tight exactly should I have the shoes on the drum? Should I be able to spin the wheels with my hand when it's jacked up, or should it be difficult to spin them?

All of the videos (as well as my chiltons) just say to tighten them until you hear the shoes rubbing against the drum but now that I have done that, it's a pretty vague instruction:thumb3:

 

[SilverRidgeRunner1]

Well, yes, but how tight exactly should I have the shoes on the drum? Should I be able to spin the wheels with my hand when it's jacked up, or should it be difficult to spin them?

All of the videos (as well as my chiltons) just say to tighten them until you hear the shoes rubbing against the drum but now that I have done that, it's a pretty vague instruction:thumb3:

When I do it it should only spin half a turn and stop .... so if u mark the drum at your 12o clock and spin it counter clockwise it should stop about 6 o'clock or 7 o'clock if that makes any sense (spin with wheel off) and it should seem tight

 

[WallyWest]

I've had the same experience.

Just realize you've got two different systems working in there. One, the main brakes, are *probably* working fine as long as the shoes are adjusted properly, which it sounds like they are.

The second is the e-brake bell cranks. They also have to be adjusted properly.

I've worked on mine several times and still have the same issue you have. It's maybe enough to hold the truck still when already stopped, but forget about it as an emergency brake.

 

[Slodrivr]

The rear shoes self adjust when you pull the parking brake handle. If the linkages and adjusters are moving freely just actuate the handle 15-20 times and they are set. It's a matter of getting the star adjuster to rotate to the point where the shoes won't move out another full tooth on the adjuster.

All three 4Runners I've owned had frozen bell cranks. Those are the 90 degree arms that take the inward pull from the cable running parallel to the axle and transmit that pull into the brake drum area. At minimum I've needed to pull the bellcranks out of the mounting blocks and clean them up. One truck required the mounting blocks to be replaced since there was so much corrosion.

Still the braking available from half of the rear system being mechanically actuated is pretty limited. Probably better off keeping both hands on the steering wheel and pointing very precisely in the event of a hydraulic braking failure.