Dumb Brake Shoe Adjustment?

[joed]

With the talk lately of adjusting rear brakes, (see the post "This Thing Will Not Stop") I decided to try and adjust mine to the recommended 33 clicks for the duo-servo system.

I can turn the adjuster tighter (up I think) just fine to make the wheel drag, but backing it off (down, I think) seems almost impossible due to the spring tension on the adjuster. My tool just seems to slip off the wheel adjuster.

What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

Joe.

[HowieE]

Unlike most rear barke assemblies there is an adjuster connected to the star wheel on our trucks. This is an automatic adjuster that is suposed to maintain the adjustment on the rear brakes. Cann't comment on whether this system works because I have not yet been able to get the rear brakes to work well enough to see results.
However back to your question. Take a small screwdriver and put it into the adjuster hole in such a way that it goes over the top of the adjuster barrel and behind the star wheel. You will feel the screwdriver hit this adjuster and when you push on it you will feel the spring tension the holds the adjuster against the star wheel. While holding the a***ter off the wheel you can back off the star wheel. You will have to work this by feel because with the adjuster held off the star wheel you will not feel each detent click. Takes a few tries but it is all in the wrist.

[joed]

Thanks. I'll have to give that a shot.