Servicing Drum Brakes

Adjusting drum brakes is not complicated and can be performed by an amateur, but it does require some patience.

- Jake Venter

Your brakes will tell you when they need attention. The pedal may feel soft or go down lower than usual, or you may have to pump it to stop your vehicle in time. They may start to squeal or make a grinding noise.

BRAKE ADJUSTMENT

If you have to pump the brakes to get them working properly, they are likely to need adjustment. However, this could also indicate a fault in the master cylinder that requires professional attention.

A low but hard pedal is a sure sign the brakes require adjustment. Modern brakes are usually self-adjusting but the mechanism often becomes unreliable with age, in which case the brakes have to be adjusted manually.

Start by resting the rear of the vehicle on stands so that you can turn the wheels by hand. The handbrake should be off and the brakes cold.

Two common adjuster designs are the cam type and the serrated ring type.

Cam-type adjuster