Rear brake question

[Devo9000]

I pulled the drums off for the first time on this truck, 02 4Runner 150k mi 4x4, yesterday and noticed uneven wear pattern.
The leading shoe is worn at the bottom of the shoe much more than the top, same in both sides.
The trailing shoe is hardly worn at all.
No evidence of cylinder leakage
All parts and springs look super clean, no rust
Drum looks clean, no scoring or bluing

Is this because the previous owner never used the parking brake, therefore out of adjustment?...

Thanks for your input..
Aloha


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[LifeLikeworm]

I am not expert but that would be my thinking.

 

[nevada]

I pulled the drums off for the first time on this truck, 02 4Runner 150k mi 4x4, yesterday and noticed uneven wear pattern.
The leading shoe is worn at the bottom of the shoe much more than the top, same in both sides.
The trailing shoe is hardly worn at all.
No evidence of cylinder leakage
All parts and springs look super clean, no rust
Drum looks clean, no scoring or bluing

Is this because the previous owner never used the parking brake, therefore out of adjustment?...

Thanks for your input..
Aloha


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

most likely out of adjustment. but that really has nothing to do with not using the park brake. the self adjuster works with any movement of the shoes. when it works.
check the star wheel, make sure it turns freely. its super common for them to seize up.

get them adjusted up properly, and you should be good to go.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Every drum brake vehicle I've ever owned is or was like yours. I think it's the nature of the beast. With the star adjuster in the middle and the wheel cylinder on top the lower portion never moves other than pivoting out. It's not like the star wheel is on the bottom of the shoes and the wheel cylinder is on the top......which would try and keep the entire shoe parallel with the drum.


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[01thunder]

same here. even classic cars have the same issue. i recently did the rears on my truck. everything works as it should, i use the parking brake and the wear is the same.

 

[phattyduck]

the self adjuster works with any movement of the shoes. when it works.

This is NOT TRUE! My rear brakes were way out of adjustment and the adjusters were not seized. The previous owner (my sister...) didn't use the parking brake for ~25k miles... A few hundred pulls of the ebrake got it back (mostly) into adjustment. I checked visually that the adjuster was working part way through the process. I had to slightly tighten the cable in the cab to get it perfect.

-Charlie

 

[Mark_BC]

There's a port with a rubber plug behind the dust cover by the star nut. You can shove a screw driver in there to tighten the wheel if you know what you are doing.

Funny, I took the axle off my tuck last weekend and the pads were in great shape, star wheel moves and everything. And the two axles I recently bought as replacements were the same. Must be a west coast thing, or good luck follows me around.

 

[nevada]

This is NOT TRUE! My rear brakes were way out of adjustment and the adjusters were not seized. The previous owner (my sister...) didn't use the parking brake for ~25k miles... A few hundred pulls of the ebrake got it back (mostly) into adjustment. I checked visually that the adjuster was working part way through the process. I had to slightly tighten the cable in the cab to get it perfect.

-Charlie

yes, it is true. I don't know anything about your scenario. but movement of the rear shoes will activate the self adjuster.

edit: perhaps the 3rd gen does it differently, id have to see one in person. but, typically, the travel of the shoes is what moves the adjuster.