e break

Looking for some ideas, my e break only works to hold my rig from going forward but it will roll back almost freely. what could be causing this?

It may be the way the shoes are adjusted. I could be wrong though.

With rear drums, this happens when the brake shoes or cable itself need adjustment or the friction parts are worn and not functioning properly.

The parking brake is supposed to adjust automatically when used while reversing the vehicle but I would look at and adjust the brakes to be sure.

i have the same problem - FSM says not to turn the adjusting screw without looking at hte rear shoes first.

does driving in reverse and pulling the e-brake really adjust it??

yes driving in reverse and pressing on the foot brake not the e-brake does really adjust the brake shoes. i am a chrysler automotive student and we just went over the rear drum brake systems and we took apart my 97 xj as an example. if u would like to see how it works just take off one of ur rear wheels and take the drum off and use somethin long like a a screw driver or pry bar and find a good leverage point at the top of the rearward shoe and put force rearward on the top of the shoe and u will see a little arm make the adjuster screw move its actually quite ingenious if u ask me. but if u want to adjust it just go to an empty parking lot or something and put the jeep in reverse and just go backwards and keep starting and stopping for like 20- 40 times depending on how badly they need to be adjusted. adjusting them can be done manually but this is the best way to do it if ur not to sure what ur doing with brakes and u cant really screw it up by doin it this way. but i would like to say this brakes are ALOT easier to do than ppl think but ppl just get afraid of them because brakes are such a serious system on the car and one wrong move can mean dissaster but brakes are really rather simple in design and not that hard to work altho rplacing shoes are a real pain in the ass

cool - 20-40 times huh? sounds like i'm going to get seasick....but if it really works, ill give it a try for sure.

thanks.

bacelaw said:

cool - 20-40 times huh? sounds like i'm going to get seasick....but if it really works, ill give it a try for sure.

thanks.

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Self adjusters on MOPARs rairly work correctly in my experience.

Skip the brake dance. It's dumb and dangerous to others around you because you are more intent on adjusting your brakes than paying attention to what's around you.

Basic Proceedure based on FSM:
* Make sure parking brake lever is fully released.
* Raise vehicle rear wheels can be rotated freely.
* Remove plug from each access hole in brake supporting plates.
* Insert adjusting tool through support plate and engage tool in teeth of adjusting screw star wheel. ed: A flat blade screw driver works well also.
* Rotate adjuster screw start wheel (move tool handle upward) until slight drag can be felt when wheel is rotated.
* Do the other wheel.
* Install the plugs in the backing plate and lower vehicle.

Parking Brakes (not "e break" which is something I do at lunch when I get on the computer) are always more effective in the forward direction (by design). So keep that in mind when you use it.

are you saying that the rear drums can be adjusted without taking the drums off?

i am a complete amatuer with drum brakes - is there a step by step with photos' adjustment procedure somewhere?

my manual says that the shoes only need manual adjustment if their being replaced..

it says for minor adjustments: drive the vehicle forward to a complete stop, then quickly in reverse to a complete stop - repeat 8-10 times...only a complete stop will activate the self-adjusting mechanism...

bacelaw said:

are you saying that the rear drums can be adjusted without taking the drums off?

i am a complete amatuer with drum brakes - is there a step by step with photos' adjustment procedure somewhere?

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Sure, drums can be adjusted without taking the drums off. Infact, sometimes with very worn drums, you have to back the adjuster off to get enough clearance to remove the drum.

No photos, sorry. I thought I gave you enough with copying most of my post from the FSM. Pick up any Chiltons, Hayes, Motors, or FSM for a MOPAR (Chysler, Plymouth, Dodge, Desoto, and now Jeep) and all the rear brakes from at least 70's and up are the same.

Here's the basic deal with drums. The self adjuster only works when you back up and stop hard. If you drive like most folks, easy on the brake at low speeds and mostly in a forward motion, your self adjusters likely won't. By the time you get around to noticing your brakes need adjusting, it takes more than a couple of quick stops to adjust them up.

Yah, I've read the manuals also. I just gave you, what I consider OK advise. Use it, don't use it, whatever works for you

Zuki-Ron said:

Sure, drums can be adjusted without taking the drums off. Infact, sometimes with very worn drums, you have to back the adjuster off to get enough clearance to remove the drum.

No photos, sorry. I thought I gave you enough with copying most of my post from the FSM. Pick up any Chiltons, Hayes, Motors, or FSM for a MOPAR (Chysler, Plymouth, Dodge, Desoto, and now Jeep) and all the rear brakes from at least 70's and up are the same.

Here's the basic deal with drums. The self adjuster only works when you back up and stop hard. If you drive like most folks, easy on the brake at low speeds and mostly in a forward motion, your self adjusters likely won't. By the time you get around to noticing your brakes need adjusting, it takes more than a couple of quick stops to adjust them up.

Yah, I've read the manuals also. I just gave you, what I consider OK advise. Use it, don't use it, whatever works for you

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no no, youre advice is perfect, right on the money...drum brakes are one of those things that seems like a complete mystery to most - i guess until you actually take the drums off and poke around, have a look-see...

your logic about only driving forward most of the time, and the self-adjusters not working makes perfect sense.

when rear shoes are replaced - does all the hardware/springs etc.. need to be replaced as well?

bacelaw said:

no no, youre advice is perfect, right on the money...drum brakes are one of those things that seems like a complete mystery to most - i guess until you actually take the drums off and poke around, have a look-see...

your logic about only driving forward most of the time, and the self-adjusters not working makes perfect sense.

when rear shoes are replaced - does all the hardware/springs etc.. need to be replaced as well?

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I hope this isn't a repost - my browser said I wasn't logged in, and seems to have lost it. Apologies if I'm repeating.

The rear hardware is cheap, so I would go ahead and get it. Springs can stretch and rust; the nails and their springs and cups will often get rusty and thin too. You can wait and see how the adjusters look, but if they're rusty, it seems that no matter what you do to treat them they won't last. You can goob them up with a half pound of anti-seize or whatever and the'll still stop working a couple of months later, at least here in the rust belt. The adjuster cable will also sometimes rust right off. Since a set of shoes can last for years, you must assume that the hardware is already old, and if you reuse it, it will be very very old before the shoes wear out again.

On the hand brake, I urge anyone who is having trouble with soft handbrake to look at the front anchor points for the brake cable sheaths. These are spot welded to the floor pan without reinforcement, and they flex. Eventually they may crack and tear right out. You can drill through them and bolt them to the pan with 1/4 inch bolts and a little reinforcing plate or big washers inside the floor. Any lost motion in the cable is lost to the brake. When it's perfect it's only just barely adequate, so any improvement is worthwhile, especially if you have a stick shift and actually use the brake for parking.

Oh, and my standard (best thing my old man taught me) advice on brakes: When you work on them, do one side at a time, so you can use the other for reference.

Matthew Currie said:

Oh, and my standard (best thing my old man taught me) advice on brakes: When you work on them, do one side at a time, so you can use the other for reference.

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Digital cameras are your friend. best invention for drum brakes and how they go back together (provided they were right the first time).

Adjusters have been seizing/not working since they were invented. Great thing to teach in a classroom, but I bet there's a lot of guys here with a lot of experience that will tell you how well they don't work.