Drum Brakes Adjuster Bracket Not Engaging Adjuster Wheel
 

I just finished installing brake shoes and all new hardware in my 69 Lemans . The issue I’m having is the adjuster bracket is not touching the wheel. I’m assuming it’s the red spring and may trim down but want to check if I’m overlooking some otherwise obvious problem.

Does this help any?

The picture with the drum in it is a passenger side.

I wish it did but mine is assembled the same as the picture, except it has the e-brake cause it's a rear assembly. One thing I don't have installed is the "e-clip and pivot" - not sure where it goes.

Rear Brakes

Part 2

These are great pictures, OG - the adjuster lever on mine will not stay horizontal and engaged with the star wheel like what you posted. Otherwise, mine appear to be assembled correctly.

Your adjusting lever in you photo is sitting to the side of the adjuster when it should be on top..

Is your other ( passenger side) doing that same thing?

It’s hard to tell from your photo, but your lever to me looks bent .

Look at these two pictures that I enlarged.

Your star-wheel adjuster is fully retracted. Extend the adjuster manually until the shoes are producing SLIGHT drag on the drum.

See how the adjuster lever looks AFTER the shoes are adjusted almost to where they should be.

The arm isn’t distorted, must be an optical illusion. The passenger side is the same - see pic

I will try this and report back!

You've got the arm on the wrongs side.

Don't have a good enough eye to tell if any parts are mismatched.
We have had to bend/shorten the blue rod to get the adjuster lever to fall correctly.

pic

Never mind. I was thinking the crimp that engages the star should be inboard. Muh Bad!

I originally thought it may be on wrong side, but they only go on one way.

It does seem to fit loose/too long in a manner that allows the adjustment lever to be overcome by the white spring and sit over the star adjuster.

Did you just bend there to take some length out of it?

Yes. I was taught to tighten the zig zag

I think its OK. Just make sure the spring retainer cup that holds the lever/rear shoe to the backing plate is seated properly, Sometimes the collar doesn't go through the lever and the shoe during assembly.

From what I remember when I did mine, the self adjuster lever pulls into place once the shoes are adjusted properly against the drum. When the main return springs have tension on them, they pull the linkage into place. If not, tighten/bend the rear blue linkage rod a bit. Remember that the system needs a little slack to work. That adjuster pawl has to be able to push down on the star wheel to take up the shoe slack, then override the star wheel to return to home.

Me too. Oh, you mean brakes. One smokes when you get it wrong, the other when you get it right.

Ah, the Zig-Zag Man

This didn’t work out unfortunately. I am gonna try bending the actuating link like Matthew Klein suggested .