Rear brakes not working... Help!

[76k5blazerr]

Ok guys so I'm geussing that ever since I got my 76 k5 running the rear brakes have not been working. I just noticed it though a few weeks ago when I was backing my little 400 pound utility trailer down my fairly steep driveway, I was going maybe 3 mph and then hit the brakes and skidded about 4 ft backwards before stopping. Also I had some wet leaves in front of my house (flat ground) and when I would pull up to the curb where I park I could be going 5 mph and skid through the leaves. And more hints to the rears not working is the brakes just being generally a little soft and this truck surely will not stop on a dime if I slam the pedal down. I should have posted this sooner but I forgot to, anyway I've got some time tomorrow morning and would like to try to get them working, any ideas? I did bleed the brakes about a month ago when I put in a new master cylinder and there IS fluid getting to the rears. I think they need to be tightened. How do I go about this? Is there a bolt or a spring tensioner or something? If it matters its a 76 with a 12 bolt 6 lug rearend. Thanks a lot yall.

 

[dremu]

You need two things:

1. To use line breaks. Please

2. Get thee a Chilton's or Hayne's repair manual, e.g.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/s...976&make=Chevrolet&model=K5+Blazer&vi=1050118

Or you can Google for "drum brake adjustment." A Reader's Digest version of that follows.

The drums on these trucks are allegedly self-adjusting (but aren't in practice.) This means you gotta adjust them as the shoes wear down. In a perfect world now is a good time to take off the drums, inspect everything for wear and blow out the brake dust. Then remove the adjusters and soak them in WD40, and lube the snot out of them. They might self-adjust for a while then.

Regardless, you want the drums to have very slight drag on the shoes. There is a clicking star adjuster at the bottom which should be accessible through a hole in the inside of the backing plate. Click them by pushing with a screwdriver until you can just feel the drag. It'll make more sense when you see it.

-- A

 

[76k5blazerr]

So to adjust them I need to pull the tires off and pull off the drum housings? Then adjust by the clicking star adjuster? Thanks

 

[K85 Octane]

yep, and clean out what you can. Try not to breathe it in either

 

[76k5blazerr]

And I should wd40 the crap out of what parts?

 

[dremu]

So to adjust them I need to pull the tires off and pull off the drum housings? Then adjust by the clicking star adjuster? Thanks

Should be a hole in the backing plate, but it's easier to do with the drum off.

And I should wd40 the crap out of what parts?

The star adjuster. It goes across the bottom between the two shoes, and has, duh, the star wheel on it. Like all things with drum brakes it's a pain to get out (sooo many springs and parts) so if you're careful you may be able to clean/lube it in place. Don't get anything on the shoe surfaces -- grease or WD40 will contaminate them.

-- A