Guide to Properly Adjusting Your Handbrake on Vehicles with Drum Brake Systems

How to Adjust the Handbrake on Drum Brakes

Proper adjustment of your handbrake, or parking brake, is essential for ensuring your vehicle's safety and functionality. If your vehicle is equipped with drum brakes, you may notice that the handbrake doesn’t hold the car securely on a slope, or perhaps the lever travels too far when pulled. Adjusting the handbrake is a task you can perform at home with a few tools and some patience. This article will guide you through the steps to effectively adjust the handbrake on drum brakes.

Understanding Drum Brakes

Before diving into the adjustment process, it’s important to understand how drum brakes work. Drum brakes consist of brake shoes that press against the inner surface of a rotating drum to create friction and stop the vehicle. When the handbrake is engaged, it pulls on a cable that moves the brake shoes into contact with the drum, preventing the vehicle from rolling.

Tools Required

To adjust the handbrake, you will need the following tools - A jack and jack stands - A wrench set - A screwdriver (flathead or Phillips, depending on your vehicle) - A pair of pliers - A brake adjustment tool (optional)

Step-by-Step Adjustment Process

1. Safety First Begin by ensuring your vehicle is on a flat surface. Engage the foot brake and set the vehicle in gear (or in 'Park' mode for automatic transmissions). Use wheel chocks to secure the wheels that won’t be elevated.

2. Lift the Vehicle Use a jack to raise the rear of your vehicle and support it securely with jack stands. This provides you with better access to the drum brakes.

3. Remove the Wheel Take off the rear wheels to expose the drum and brake assembly. You may need to remove the lug nuts using your wrench.

4. Inspect the Brake Assembly Once the drum is exposed, inspect the brake shoes for wear. Uneven wear may indicate other issues that need attention. If the shoes are worn down, they may need replacement before adjusting the handbrake.

5. Adjust the Brake Shoes Locate the adjuster mechanism, usually found at the bottom of the drum brake assembly. If your vehicle has a self-adjusting system, you might not need to do this manually. If needed, turn the adjustment wheel or lever to expand the shoes slightly until they are snug against the drum, but not so tight that the drum cannot rotate.

6. Reassemble the Brake Components After adjusting the shoes, replace the drum (if removed) and the wheel. Tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern to ensure even tightening.

7. Adjust the Handbrake Cable Look for the handbrake cable that connects to the brake mechanism. Depending on your vehicle, there may be an adjustment nut near the center console or at the rear brake assembly. Tighten this nut gradually to increase tension on the cable. Make sure to leave a bit of slack to prevent unnecessary wear on the system.

8. Test the Handbrake Once everything is back in place, lower the vehicle back to the ground. Test the handbrake by pulling it up. Ideally, it should engage securely with a pull of about three to five clicks.

9. Repeat if Necessary If the handbrake still feels too loose or does not hold the vehicle, you may need to repeat the adjustment process or revisit the brake shoe adjustment.

Conclusion

Adjusting the handbrake on drum brakes is a straightforward process that can improve the safety and performance of your vehicle. Regular maintenance, including checking and adjusting the handbrake, is essential to ensure that your vehicle remains safe to drive. If you encounter issues beyond simple adjustments, it may be wise to consult a professional mechanic.