Anybody out there?
Last photo you can see the lever just barely not in contact with the star wheel. Anybody see anything wrong with my assembly?
Anybody out there?
Last photo you can see the lever just barely not in contact with the star wheel. Anybody see anything wrong with my assembly?
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Steven
2004 Wrangler Rubicon
Schmitty (July 13th, 2021)
Hey Steve-o, It looks like that ratchet is extended a bit. what if you wind it all the way down then see if it engages? I remember doing the rear drums on my old Forester and something like this kept me from finishing the job until I made an adjustment like that and things "clicked" into place.
Also keep in mind that the star wheel adjusters and locking lever are different based on driver/passenger....make sure you you have them matched correctly and on the correct side of the vehicle.
Is this the passenger rear?
EDIT - from a quick review of later jeep drum brakes, looks like you are good....I think the self-adjusting lever won't move into contact with the star wheel and set-itself until you activate the brakes in reverse?
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James Orofino
1970 CJ5
1958 Willys Wagon
Schmitty: good eye. That's the only thing that was a little weird about the assembly of this passenger side versus the driver side (which went smoothly). If I screw in the star wheel/self adjuster any more, its feet won't contact the shoes securely and it would be able to wiggle around. For whatever reason I can't get the shoes any closer to close that gap, those hold-down springs don't want to let them move farther in. May be the source (or related to) whatever issue I'm having. Maybe I just need to put a little elbow grease on it to get the shoes closer together with the self adjuster screwed all the way in...
James: This is the passenger rear. I thought the brakes-in-reverse final adjustment wouldn't work *unless* the lever was in contact with the star wheel. I'll read my Haynes manual closer when I get home. That would also be interesting because on the drivers side it *is* in contact and appears to be working how I think it should be.
Another great piece of advice I saw online was "tear it all down and do it again"
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Steven
2004 Wrangler Rubicon
I had issues when redoing the brakes on my cj5 a few years ago....I ended up filing the grooves on the ends of the adjusters to allow the shoes to move inward a bit, but in my case, the star adjuster was all the way in and there was no other options to bring the shoes in closer so the drum wouldn't fit over. In your case, it sounds like the opposite and the adjuster will shorten, and the lever will come in contact to star wheel, but the shoes won't stay in contact with the adjuster pins....if so, that is when I would put the drum on, and try activating the self-adjustment. You could even try putting the drum on, pumping the brakes to force the shoes out and get all the little pieces to 'settle in' or align themselves and squeeze the shoes to keep them in contact with the adjuster pins even when the star wheel is turned all the way in? FWIW, partially because the old willys uses manual adjustment (no new fangled star adjuster like on the 70cj5 or on your set-up), it is require to put the drum/wheel/tire on and spin it by hand and have someone step on the brake hard. This centers the shoes and wheel cylinder pistons and various springs etc and allows for proper manual adjustment, otherwise only one shoe maybe adjusted properly. Finally, maybe grab both shoes on the outside bottom and try pushing them back and forth to see if 'centering' them a bit can help get them working - or take a look at the wheel cylinder pins and see if they are about equal....wondering if one side is not pushed out (thus why stepping on the brake pedal can help push it out), the shoe isn't pivoting quite right.
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James Orofino
1970 CJ5
1958 Willys Wagon
I think I have the same jackstands as you and I've stopped using them until I can exchange them https://images.harborfreight.com/hft...1196_61197.pdf
Paul: I checked my serial numbers and I’m good (allegedly). Don’t worry, I have a whole other set (Husky brand) under the frame right now haha. I appreciate you sending that along
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Steven
2004 Wrangler Rubicon
Well well well guys…I went to advance auto and bought a $5 self-adjuster kit and starting comparing the parts, what was on the Jeep vs what I bought in the bag and eyeballing them for differences. Auto-adjuster/star wheel — same. Self adjuster cable — same length. Lever — same shape/notch positions. Lever spring…..not the same! The lever spring that came with my original parts purchase (colored red in the picture above) was noticeably more straight than the one that came in my $5 baggie — that one had a more dramatic bend in it. It’s highly likely that I bent that first spring a little while trying to figure out the best way to get it around and over the lever. Swapped it out for the new spring, lever clicked right into the star wheel. Beautiful! Time to bleed the brakes, adjust the shoes, adjust the park brake……
As always, I appreciate all your thoughts and advice!
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Steven
2004 Wrangler Rubicon
Well guys, it's time for me to sell my beloved YJ. It's getting cold and I want to put my daily driver in the garage if you know anybody who would be interested in a almost completely stock '93 that runs like a top and has a jacked up paint job, let me know. Probably going to ask $5,500, willing to haggle
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Steven
2004 Wrangler Rubicon
Wish I could, it's a cool Jeep and an unmodified YJ is pretty rare. It would make a perfect "toad" for an RV.
Steve-O (December 12th, 2021)
Well I've had a terrible time trying to sell this thing, bunch of clowns offering $2-3000 for it. If you do a nationwide search on autotrader for a YJ, you won't find one in any condition for under $8000, so I think I'm being reasonable.
Anyway all this crap makes me want to just hold on to it and turn it into a toad some day (definitely want to buy an RV eventually). If anybody has any barn/lot/field space I could store it in let me know. Willing to pay a little bit each month.
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Steven
2004 Wrangler Rubicon
PM sent
Well a college kid is driving up from Albuqueque and said he has a cashiers check for $6,000 in hand. So this is either going to be great or I'm going to get mugged haha. Either way the YJ will be leaving today
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Steven
2004 Wrangler Rubicon
F
Steve-O (February 26th, 2022)
NO CASHIER'S CHECK
Don't risk it!
CASH ONLY
Have him get cash instead of that check.
I've been involved in a cashier's check transaction - going in believing it would be a scam - it was. The check "looked" proper. Bank ran it - scam.
$6K in cash is easy to carry.
Steve-O (February 26th, 2022)
I appreciate you looking out for me Jim! He offered cash and I asked for a cashier's check as I'm an online bank guy (no way to deposit cash). Already got the check deposited
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Steven
2004 Wrangler Rubicon
Jim (February 26th, 2022)
That does put me on edge. I'm trusting it works out. More space in the garage!
Congratulations! That's a good price! "Deposit Cash"... I don't think I've ever seen or used that phrase before.