hi, there:
I have a 1999 cavalier, 2.2L, auto, P/S, A/C. always feel bake not hard enough. I have to see a dealer, they say it's oky. however I feel the brake very strong when they adjust my rear drum brake by using a screwdriver. it goes weake after I clean another brake. so, how do I adjust the brake myself? thanks a lot!!!
pull of the drum. directly in the middle, on the bottom, there is a notched wheel. put your finger on the bottom of the wheel. spin it towards you. do this until the drum doesn't spin freely when you put it back on. then back it off a little. done!.......hope that helps
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When you are done, should the drum spin freely?
Andy Mackey
MECP First Class certified installer.
you can do this with the drum still on if you pull the thin long grommet off the back of the drum, the drum should be hard to move. When you put the wheel back on if you spin it the wheel should stop after you stop turning it.
-Chris
They are both right, you adjust the wheel but you can pop out the rubber groment on back and spin it through there. WHen you spin the wheel from the time you let go you should have 1-2 rotations before it stops, you don't want the brakes draging to much or youwill cook them form rubbing to much all the time.
wow holy old post!!
i prefer to adjust it with the drum off so i dont run into the problem i had with my friend tom's brakes. adjusted them through the drum, did it too much and couldnt get the drum back off.
does anyone know how to disengage the e brake? i have an automatic so theres not much use for it any way. its just been sitting for a while and now it is locked. any ideas?
buy the biggest hammer you can find, then take off the rear wheels, and beat the sh!t out of it, take the drums off, adjust as needed, and replace your shoes/hardware/wheel cylinders. do it right, or dont do it.
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If you rear brakes are in good working order they are self adjusting. To adjust them, go in reverse and slam the brakes. Sometimes if its quiet enough you can hear them clicking and self adjusting. I do it every once in a while and i can feel a difference. Give that i try first. Do it like 5 times hard in reverse.
Matt Burgess wrote:If you rear brakes are in good working order they are self adjusting. To adjust them, go in reverse and slam the brakes. Sometimes if its quiet enough you can hear them clicking and self adjusting. I do it every once in a while and i can feel a difference. Give that i try first. Do it like 5 times hard in reverse.
i'm wondering if this actually works...
Rememeber kids... spell check is your friend
Yes it does...I have done it on my 02 Cav and my friends 98 Cav.
Quiklilcav wrote:Schaffer wrote:Matt Burgess wrote:If you rear brakes are in good working order they are self adjusting. To adjust them, go in reverse and slam the brakes. Sometimes if its quiet enough you can hear them clicking and self adjusting. I do it every once in a while and i can feel a difference. Give that i try first. Do it like 5 times hard in reverse.
i'm wondering if this actually works...
Works best if you do it at a red light in heavy traffic.
If you're not as adventurous, a church or elementary school parking lot will work as well.
i'll do it in the alley at work(i work at a daycare)
Rememeber kids... spell check is your friend
If it doesn't work, and you did your own brake job, then you have the left adjuster on the right or the right on the left as I do. lol Simple change out once the job is done, but those damn dums were a *-)$@# to get off. Penetrating oil is your friend, worked for me, now just have to put the correct adjuster on the correct side. Feel like a gumby! lol Oh well, went by a mechanics advice instead of using my own logic so some blame goes to him. lol
