Adjusting Your Brakes The Easy Way

[ptwothree]

This is for those who can't afford the expensive brake adjusting tools.  Anyway ... it worked for me.  

 

First, you need a 1/4" nut, the cam bolt for the brake adjuster with nut.  (The slice you see in my cam bolt was an unsuccessful attempt to use a screwdriver to adjust these things.)

 

Just center the 1/4" nut inside the nut for the cam bolt and get out your MIG welder.

 

I used my MillerMatic 135 with the current set at 8 and the wire speed set at 75.  (These values were arrived at through much trial and error.)  Start by welding the center of the 1/4" nut to the cam bolt and put two tacks around the circumference.  A little finesse with the bench grinder and you should be done.

 

Here's the finished product.  All you need to do now is turn the 1/4" nut with a 7/16" wrench to adjust the brakes.  This takes a tedious and time consuming job and makes it much easier.

[ptwothree]

Here is an update to the above post.  Just three changes.  First, I ditched the small nuts and am using coupling nuts.  They are longer, easier to weld and get a wrench on.

 

Second, I'm using ox/acet to weld the nut to the cam bolt.  My lil' old 135 mig was doing too much damage to the threads.  Gas welding was easier to control and made a much more solid weld.

 

Third,  I thread a die on the cam bolt to re-cut the threads around the weld area.  A little touch up on the grinder and wire wheel, maybe some paint, and your done.

 

All of this monkey motion will allow the external adjustment of the brakes when the special tools are not available.

 

  

 

 

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

Excellent idea!

Thanks for posting this great tip!

[Conroe Powdercoating]

I basically did the same thing, I cut a slot with a thin grinding wheel on the end of every adjusting bolt and then put a white dot on one end to keep track of orientation. I used a small flat head screwdriver that is bent into an "L", bought it that way. easy to adjust and turn them from the backside now and no welding needed.

Once you understand how the pads adjust and center themselves with the correct adjustment, you can feel them settle in.

Then when done, I removed the drum and tightened them down holding from both sides so no bolt movement. Re- installed the drums and I actually adjusted my brakes so well that I can stop without holding the steering wheel and she stops dead straight and even.

Edited July 26, 2014 by Conroe Powdercoating

[ptwothree]

Conroe...I tried the 'slot in the bolt' deal too.  I found it difficult to get 6 slots cut so that one screw driver fit them all.  Probably the method I used wasn't consistent enough.  Had my welding stuff sittin there doing nothing soooooooo....

 

The thing I like about the 'welded nut' method is it allows the use of a ordinary  7/16" open end or box wrench to be used and the fact that you can spin the drum, feel and hear when you get it right.  And if something slips while tightening, you'll know about that right now.  No need to remove the drums.  It's kind of like adjusting a Bendix type brake but with far more precision.