Changing rear brake shoes - not working?

Doooford

Let's say that theoretically, I changed the brake shoes on my car, but maybe didn't appreciate how important it was to adjust them to the correct setting before replacing the drums. Now I know that the self adjusting thingamee jigs self adjust under certain circumstances. But would there be a way to force them to set the brakes without me removing the drums in the dark tonight while sitting on a snowy and wet pavement?
All theoretical of course, as if I'd be a silly as to not finish reading the manual before replacing the wheels :rotfl:

rictus123

Get someone who knows what they are doing to check it out imo. Brakes are something you dont mess with unless you are sure you know what you are doing.

Doooford

Thanks rictus, unfortunately, I am too determined to finish this job myself. I will be adjusting them tonight manually, which I am confident of doing. Just wondered if there were any shortcuts for older cars (N reg Peugeot 406). I read somewhere about reversing and braking hard to click the ratchet on by one?
Many thanks for any help that anyone can give, this isn't me being stubborn, I just want to learn how to fix my car to save garage costs, and hopefully help others. I was a helicopter engineer in a different time, so I am not cutting corners on safety. THe car will not be moved until I can take it round the corner for a free brake test at the local garage :T

computershack

If they don't adjust up when you pump the brake pedal, the self adjuster has seized and the only way to sort that out is to take the whole lot to bits, liberally soak the adjuster with WD40 and keep moving it until it moves freely then cover it in copper grease.

Driving anywhere then putting the brakes on makes absolutely no difference to sitting there and pumping the pedal until they adjust up.

rictus123

Got it sussed?

darich

Years ago when my mate used to adjust drum brakes I seem to remember some sort of ratchet arrangement inside the drum that you could adjust using a flat head screwdriver through a hole on the inside face. You didn't even need to take the wheel off.

Years ago, though, we mainly drove Vauxhalls so the system on their brakes may be different to that on Peugeots.

goldspanners

some drum brakes have an inspection/adjustment hole in the back plate (im not sure if your car does).
look for a small rubber grommit in the back plate and remove this, this might allow access to the adjuster.

mikey72

The adjuster compensates for wear, when ever I've put on shoes (did my 106 yesterday) I've set the adjuster so the pads are as far in as possible.
I had to slacken off the handbrake to get the drums back on, then they were a tight fit.
Pumped the brake, worked the handbrake a few times, then I had to re-adjust the handbrake to slacken it off slightly. (which is right under the middle of the car, over the exhaust)

DaveMacD

406 should have the inspection grommet mentioned by goldspanners (at least my old 406 did). Pumping the brake should work on it (since that's how it adjusts normally).

Doooford

Looks like they have self adjusted. The reason I was worried, is back in my student days I changed my brake shoes, thinking I'd done a sterling job. It was only in the MOT 3 months later that it was discovered that the back brakes didn't work at all as I the self adjusters didn't do their job (or I should have assisted them).
Just had a drive in the peugeot though and the brakes feel great. So thanks for all the advice, I am now going to spend the day congratulating myself on a job well done!

Doooford

Actually they didn't self adjust. I had to take off the hub as there was no inspection hole. All working fine now though. From what I could gleam, the self adjuster only works if the shoes are adjusted in the first place to be roughly correct and making contact with the hub.