# Drum brake adjustment



## weimerrj (Dec 4, 2011)

I believe that is still the case for auto-adjusting the rears. Barring that, the usual flat-tip screwdriver in the adjustment hole and turn the adjustment wheel then back off two clicks should work.

Of course, you have to back the shoes out when you replace them so the new ones will fit.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

weimerrj said:


> I believe that is still the case for auto-adjusting the rears. Barring that, the usual flat-tip screwdriver in the adjustment hole and turn the adjustment wheel then back off two clicks should work.
> 
> Of course, you have to back the shoes out when you replace them so the new ones will fit.


There's no adjustment hole on these cars, AFAIK. I adjusted my Cruze's drums the old-fashioned way, by lifting the car up, removing the drum, and clicking out the adjuster (star) wheel. IIRC it took 10+ teeth on the star wheel on both sides before any drag was felt. I adjusted until the drums were very lightly dragging, then backed off 1 tooth. 

I've never had drum brakes self-adjust by backing up. This is my third car with rear drums, and I've never observed that in over 100k miles on those 3 cars. Believe me, I tried that several times!


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## tecollins1 (Nov 6, 2011)

I believe I found the adjustment hole















This is the driver side drum 
Just peel off the rubber piece. couldn't get close enough to confirm 100% due to rain darkness and no lift lol 


Thank you YouTube 
Was on diff car though


Sent from iPhone 4


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Be sure it adjusts the star wheel. And be careful. If it's over-done, the drum will have to come off anyhow to properly adjust the brake.


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## CRUISE-CRUZE (Nov 8, 2010)

See my thread here:
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/9-ch...n-forum/1090-parking-brake-no-adjustment.html 
On my last post on the first page you can see pictures too.


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## tecollins1 (Nov 6, 2011)

Guess it was not it since the star is at the 12 o'clock position

O well, seems kind of useless.


Sent from iPhone 4


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

I think the brakes self adjust when applied no matter whether you're going forwards or backwards. I've been following this issue for a while because my brake pedal has excessive travel and my parking brake handle too. I don't see any way to adjust the brakes manually without removing the drum. I pulled the rubber plug on the backing plate but it's not in the right spot to reach the star wheel. I don't know what the function of the rubber plug is.

Basically I gave up. I could hear some drag on the drum when I rotated the tire with the driver's side raised and I was too chicken to attempt further tightening. I don't understand how a person is going to get the drums off after thousands of miles if there's no way to loosen the adjustment wheel. I guess I just don't understand them. Somehow that rubber plug must give you access to loosen the shoes but I don't know how.


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## cruzeman (Mar 13, 2011)

i know my e brake goes straight up in the air and barely holds car now.


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## weimerrj (Dec 4, 2011)

From CRUISE-CRUZE's pictures in the other thread, it appears they are self-adjusting (the lever on the right that swings underneath the star wheel). However, the do need to be adjusted properly in the first place for them to self-adjust. If the shoes are too far away, it won't get close enough one-click at a time.


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## Calintz (Jul 21, 2011)

I put my e-brake all the way up and my car holds on tight


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Most drum brakes back to the 70 self adjusted by backing up. Two reasons you would not notice too much: 1)how much do you back up to cause the self adjusting + 2) how much stopping is actually done by the rear drums anyway.




sciphi said:


> There's no adjustment hole on these cars, AFAIK. I adjusted my Cruze's drums the old-fashioned way, by lifting the car up, removing the drum, and clicking out the adjuster (star) wheel. IIRC it took 10+ teeth on the star wheel on both sides before any drag was felt. I adjusted until the drums were very lightly dragging, then backed off 1 tooth.
> 
> I've never had drum brakes self-adjust by backing up. This is my third car with rear drums, and I've never observed that in over 100k miles on those 3 cars. Believe me, I tried that several times!


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Correct me if I am wrong(I know you will). I think they are trying to get more stopping power from the rear drums more so than the E brake functioning well. 




Calintz said:


> I put my e-brake all the way up and my car holds on tight


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

The stopping power is what's important. The e-brake being properly adjusted is a nice side benefit of properly adjusting the shoes. 

What's going on with the e-brake is the shoes are too far in from the factory. When the e-brake is engaged, it's taking up the slack and going sky-high to engage as a result of needing to move the shoes out so much to engage. Properly adjusted, it'll not hit the center armrest when fully engaged.


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## Calintz (Jul 21, 2011)

Patman said:


> Correct me if I am wrong(I know you will). I think they are trying to get more stopping power from the rear drums more so than the E brake functioning well.


Yeah I know i just saw a post that someone has their e-brake all the way up and the car moves a bit. Thats why I posted this.


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## rlw_1224 (Nov 1, 2011)

I adjusted mine today. Driver side went fine (did need slightly adjusted), but when I went to do the passenger side, the torx screw completely just stripped out. I've searched online for a replacement but not exactly sure what to search for. Anyone know part number or name?


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Don't worry about that Torx screw. It's only there to hold the drum on during assembly before the wheels go on. The lug nuts will hold the drum on more than tight enough.


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

I used a hand held impact driver on mine. It really helps because you're pounding it in at the same time as it's applying the loosening force. You could probably get the stripped on out if you used one, although you might have to grind a slot into the head.


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## rlw_1224 (Nov 1, 2011)

Thanks guys. I'll have to get an extractor bit then to get it out then just not worry about replacing it.


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## David1 (Sep 16, 2011)

Check your e-brake cables when you adjust the rears. Both of my cable dust boots are torn and I have an auto and hardly use the e-brake. Great way for road salt to get in there.


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Yes there is an adjustment very easy to do. Extreme has a doc about adjusting the brakes. How to Adjust Rear Drum Brakes
It is simple. Only need a t27 torx to remove the drum and a flat head screwdriver. Remove the drum and spin the star wheel with a screw driver it sill only go one way until the brake shoes are snug in the drum. I did it this weekend as a matter of fact.


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## Starks8 (Jul 20, 2011)

David1 said:


> Check your e-brake cables when you adjust the rears. Both of my cable dust boots are torn and I have an auto and hardly use the e-brake. Great way for road salt to get in there.


is it possible to replace these?


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## weimerrj (Dec 4, 2011)

Also check to see if the parking brake cable boot/spring retainer on the drum itself hasn't pulled away from the drum. I inspected my brakes when rotating the tires and adjusting the drums yesterday and found my passenger side drum was dragging because of this. It appears one of the clips that hods the retainer to the drum has broken and it won't reliably stay in place. I have to be very easy on the e-brake if I use it at all. 

Everyone might want to get a look at their drums, it could be why some of us are getting DIC readings that are wildly optimistic. Also could be why a few of us complain of super high e-brake handles, too.

Sorry, no pics. Didn't think of it and I'm not pulling the wheel right now.


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