Tips to break loose the rear brake adjusters?

[Pablo M]

Looking for tips on getting the rear brake show adjusters loose. 
I took apart my brakes for a refresh (wheel cylinders, shoes, drums, cleaning). Trying to get the shoes off I fought with the adjusters. I sprayed them repeatedly with PB Blaster a few times over the past few weeks, and put a 50/50 ATF/acetone mix on them as well a couple times, having read that mixture was better than PB Blaster. 
had to use a hammer on the wrench to get it to turn, which 3 of the 4 did, but they all remain difficult to turn. 
 

I’d also read about using wax-heating up then melting wax in joint and it seeps into threads. Not sure about that and haven’t tried it. 
 

Any other tips to break them loose and keep them that way? 
 

[TobyB]

They SHOULD be a bit stiff, or they'll self- unadjust.

 

The ones that turn will want a wicking penetrant, and the acetone/ATF is good for that.

Then some rust preventative treatment- I like things like Fluid Film and Rost-off, since you

don't need much lube, but keeping moisture out's important.

 

The 4th one wants heat and impact as well- both serve to work at breaking and dislodging

the rust bond between the 2 parts.  Personally, I don't like getting things 'red hot' as it takes

the temper out of many steels- so the IR temp gun is really useful for getting to 4-500c and then 

cooling, usually repeatedly.  Whacking it while warm also helps. 

Heat the backing plate and sleeve, as it will take

a lot more heat to raise its temperature, and if you soften it a bit, it won't matter.  

I haven't tried the wax trick either, but it make sense.  It's also a corrosion inhibitor and low-

speed lubricant, so it's certainly the right place for it.

 

Patience and repetition are your friend- I was  trying to get a big threaded hydraulic cylinder apart

once, and after a week of hanging off the end of a 48" pipe wrench after heating, cooling, heating, whacking

and then walking away, I was pretty sure the wrench had slipped when the thing just unscrewed one day.

 

t

always persistent, now with added resignation.

[NYNick]

These are in the top 3 of toughest jobs I tackled on my car. You're on the right track with repeated applications of PB Blaster and the like, but in the end I had to use copious amounts of HEAT, via a propane torch. Just when you think it's hot enough to try, keep the torch on longer! One of them literally took me three days to finally get loose.

 

And work the adjust both ways when trying to loosen it. Good luck!

[Mike Self]

Has always worked for me:

1.  remove shoes to gain access

2.  soak in penetrating oil--both hex (outer) and round (inner) side

3. heat the inner peg side (that contacts the shoes) with a propane torch, making sure not to wave the torch too close to the wheel cylinders.  And have a wet rag handy in case the penetrating oil flares up

4.  Grab the round portion (not the peg!) of the adjuster on the inside with a small pipe wrench and try turning it.  If it's still stubborn,

5.  repeat 2, 3 and 4.  It'll come loose eventually, and the scarring of the inner round section won't affect its operation either with the shoes or with an adjusting wrench.

 

mike

[johnny02]

This article is literally on  the front page of this website: 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by johnny02
Typo

[TobyB]

I always start in the middle.

 

heh

 

t

 

[ray_]

2 hours ago, TobyB said:

I always start in the middle.

 

heh

 

t

 

 

[SydneyTii]

Jaymic has replacement adjusters last time I looked and I think MVP are doing new backplates with adjusters.

[autokunst]

I was able to find new OEM backplates with adjusters for my '68 (200mm).  You might call your local dealer.

[Pablo M]

On 12/29/2022 at 12:03 PM, Mike Self said:

Has always worked for me:

1.  remove shoes 

2.  soak 

3. heat 

4.  Grab with a small pipe wrench 

5.  repeat 

 

mike

Thanks again everyone, particularly @Mike Self. That did the trick. Two of the four needed coaxing with heat but two just needed the pipe wrench to break them free. I kept working them till they moved freely enough and didn’t need coaxing. 
Now I can finish the rears. 
 

if only I had a good left caliper I could finish completely. Had the wrong side sent so I may revert to rebuilding that one side. It wasn’t so bad. 
 

Then onto the reservoir and hoses to MC. 
 

P-

[paulyg]

If you need calipers, try Automotive Brake Solutions on Ebay. I got a set of rebuilt calipers from him. The first set actually leaked, but he sent out another set no questions asked. Very happy with the second set, and the calipers come plated, unlike the rebuilt centric calipers that are in raw cast iron. 

 

Automotive Brake Solutions | eBay Stores

WWW.EBAY.COM

 

[Pablo M]

3 hours ago, paulyg said:

If you need calipers, try Automotive Brake Solutions on Ebay. I got a set of rebuilt calipers from him. The first set actually leaked, but he sent out another set no questions asked. Very happy with the second set, and the calipers come plated, unlike the rebuilt centric calipers that are in raw cast iron. 

 

Automotive Brake Solutions | eBay Stores

WWW.EBAY.COM

 

Thanks for the heads up. Unfortunately he doesn’t have any for my car currently available. Not sure he sells singles either as all the listings looked like pairs. 
plated would be good as the other one I bought was plated.