Need parking brake adjuster help 2001 F150 supercrew!!!

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Wifes parking brakes have been dragging so I took a look.
Had a hell of a time getting the rotors off, had to hammer the shit out of them but finally got them off.
These are the Disk brakes on the rear, the parking brake has it's own set of shoes on the INSIDE of the rotor. Anyway, three of the pads had come off the shoes. No wonder they were dragging....
Anyway got all the new stuff, I forgot to note which way the parking brake adjusters go. Does it matter whether the adjuster star is to the right or left? My shop manual doesn't really say.

[Kadmos]

Yes it matters.

Most likely the star will be to the left while facing it.

The important thing is that it aligns so that as the star gets turned the brake shoes get further away from each other.

Usually (in every car I've ever seen) the star gets adjusted by being pushed down

So basically if the star is being pushed down, and that moves the shoes apart then you have it correct.

Kinda sounds like someone drove a ways with the parking brake on, might want to have a chat about the damage that does.

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Yes it matters.

Most likely the star will be to the left while facing it.

The important thing is that it aligns so that as the star gets turned the brake shoes get further away from each other.

Usually (in every car I've ever seen) the star gets adjusted by being pushed down

So basically if the star is being pushed down, and that moves the shoes apart then you have it correct.

Kinda sounds like someone drove a ways with the parking brake on, might want to have a chat about the damage that does.

Well I found out these aren't self adjusting, there is no tang against the star no spring or anything, so i guess it doesn't really matter, but I did put them to the left.
What happened is the Ebrake rarely gets used. The lever mechanism was all rusted, frozen up on both sides. When my wife had to use it,it hung up got hot enough for the pads to come off the shoes. I had taken a look at it a week ago when it first happened, saw the levers weren't back like they should've been, tapped them with a hammer to get them released fully, by then the pads must of been off already as we were hearing a noise back there when driving the past couple days, Sounded like the wind But I had looked at the rotors and brakes, needed service so took it all off today to find the problems. Stupid design, they're not riveted on, bonded on!
The whole mechanism is a stupid design. 160K on the truck.
Thanks for the help.

[Kadmos]

Hearing that they aren't self adjusting, and thinking on it more..there is usually a hole in the backing plate that you can use a brake spoon (flat head screwdriver) to adjust them.

On most cars you just want to make sure you have them on the correct side to adjust through the hole...not sure why I didn't think of that before.

At any rate, glad to hear it worked out.

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Hearing that they aren't self adjusting, and thinking on it more..there is usually a hole in the backing plate that you can use a brake spoon (flat head screwdriver) to adjust them.

On most cars you just want to make sure you have them on the correct side to adjust through the hole...not sure why I didn't think of that before.

At any rate, glad to hear it worked out.

Yeah I remember my Rangers had self adjusting types(drum brakes vs the disks on this), they had the hole, this does too even though it's not self adjusting.

[ATAK, Inc.]

These are about the same as on my 2002 Exploder. They are not self-adjusting, there is an adjustment hole with a metal cap that needs to be knocked out.

The shoe retaining clips are a bit of a pain, but a common screwdriver will pop them off, just keep pressure on the pin from behind. Adjust the new shoes once the wheels are installed.

[Kadmos]

Yeah I remember my Rangers had self adjusting types(drum brakes vs the disks on this), they had the hole, this does too even though it's not self adjusting.

Without the self adjuster you need that hole even more so you can adjust them.

Just in case there is a next time, if you back off the adjuster through that hole before trying to take the drum (rotor/drum combo) off, it should come off a hell of a lot easier.

Except maybe in your case where shit already got busted up.

ATAK, most parts stores have a brake tool kit available pretty cheap, it usually has a clip remover in it, those things work like a charm...it's like a handle with a sort of socket on one end, push it against the clip annd rotate, they come right off, and easy back on as well. Brake spring pliers also rule the tool world of fantastic ideas

[1 Patriot-of-many]

No problems with the install, left side no longer hanging up,still the right side is hanging up, just not gonna use the ebrake. When I get a chance I'll take it apart again and clean up the mechanism/or buy new mechanism( the levers at the top).

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Without the self adjuster you need that hole even more so you can adjust them.

Just in case there is a next time, if you back off the adjuster through that hole before trying to take the drum (rotor/drum combo) off, it should come off a hell of a lot easier.

Except maybe in your case where shit already got busted up.

ATAK, most parts stores have a brake tool kit available pretty cheap, it usually has a clip remover in it, those things work like a charm...it's like a handle with a sort of socket on one end, push it against the clip annd rotate, they come right off, and easy back on as well. Brake spring pliers also rule the tool world of fantastic ideas

They rotor backs were rusted on, Had to beat on them to free them.

[1 Patriot-of-many]

These are about the same as on my 2002 Exploder. They are not self-adjusting, there is an adjustment hole with a metal cap that needs to be knocked out.

The shoe retaining clips are a bit of a pain, but a common screwdriver will pop them off, just keep pressure on the pin from behind. Adjust the new shoes once the wheels are installed.

Mine has the rubber.

[Kadmos]

They rotor backs were rusted on, Had to beat on them to free them.

I said "easier" not easily...I once shattered a drum with a sledge hammer trying to get it off after already having backed off the shoes. I was previously unaware cast iron could shatter, my buddy nearly fell over laughing from the look on my face.

Most though, if you back off the shoes, a few taps with a dead blow mallet will work.

I know they make pullers for them, don't think I've ever actually seen or heard of anyone using one though

[1 Patriot-of-many]

I said "easier" not easily...I once shattered a drum with a sledge hammer trying to get it off after already having backed off the shoes. I was previously unaware cast iron could shatter, my buddy nearly fell over laughing from the look on my face.

Most though, if you back off the shoes, a few taps with a dead blow mallet will work.

I know they make pullers for them, don't think I've ever actually seen or heard of anyone using one though

That would've made a good youtube video.... LOL

[Kadmos]

That would've made a good youtube video.... LOL

Lol, probably...sadly it happened when state of the art was a VHS camera the size of a shoebox, and no one would think of using such an expensive gadget in a garage.

Kinda funny that nearly every itty bitty phone has a better quality video, often operated by 10 year olds, and a lot of cars still use drum brakes nearly exactly the same as they were probably 100 years ago.