Do they need adjustments??

[Toploader]

I read that the brakes on my '86 MGM Tudor automatically adjust themselves. Is this correct, or do the rear shoes have to be actually adjusted? Just pulled one drum off yesterday and discovered I had riveted shoes with what looks like a few thousand miles of use to go, LOL I have only driven 1000 miles over the past three years;-) I just do not like the "feel" of the pedal, goes down a bit too much for my 'taste"

[DerekTheGreat]

The brake pedal dropping too much is an indicator of rear brakes which need adjustment. Drums that just slide right off are also a great indicator. They don't really adjust themselves either, the only ones I've found which do are the types which adjust when you use the parking brake. But there aren't many like that and most people don't use the parking brake. Adjust the shoes such that there is a bit of drag when turning the wheel by hand, but not constant drag. Something just before constant drag is ideal to me, you end up with great pedal feel and braking performance. Lots of people complain about stock box brake performance, but I'm not one of them.

[Toploader]

Derek, the drum did NOT just slide off!.......had to use a few "blows" of the old hammer to get the drum off. I am scheduled to go back to my buds shop so I will have him adjust the rear brakes. Thanks for your thoughts;-)

[friskyfrankie]

Derek, the drum did NOT just slide off!.......had to use a few "blows" of the old hammer to get the drum off. I am scheduled to go back to my buds shop so I will have him adjust the rear brakes. Thanks for your thoughts;-)

Probably the shoes rusted to the drums as opposed to being due to adjustment (especially if they haven't been done in a while or exposed to bad weather).

[Arquemann]

The drums might be hard to remove if theyre older and have a lip formed on them.
My go-to adjustment has always been some audible dragging when turning the drum. Just so its touching the shoes, but not enough to actually cause dragging.

If mine has some autoadjustment in there, it sure ain't working. I've tries slamming the brakes in reverse and all those tricks. Didn't seem to do anything.

[gadget73]

In theory, the rear drums self-adjust if you put the car in reverse and pump the brakes a few times

In reality, if those parts have seized up, which they often are, it will not actually work. You can pull the drums and fix it, or just use a screwdriver through the slot on the back and adjust them.

also, the self-adjust doesn't work if they aren't fairly close to right already so even if the hardware is good you have to get them set properly first.

[Toploader]

Yea I knew about putting the car in reverse, but as you said I will have to actually have to get the car back to my bud to physically adjust them. I was surprised to see riveted shoes, I thought shoes back then were bonded?

[Toploader]

I am thankful that the car does not have tapered axles like Studebaker and MoPar had, using the hub puller is a PITA...........and one has to have a torque wrench to make sure that center axle nut is torqued to 170 Ft Lbs, then back one slot on the castle nut for the cotter pin. Sometimes "old school" is .....*(&^%%$$#~!!

[gadget73]

those are generally a better axle design though. The axle shaft itself isn't the inner bearing race like it is on an 8.8. Having been behind the wheel of a Panther when the rear bearing failed and twisted the end off the axle I can tell you it would have been a whole lot less fun on a drum brake car. The rotor kept the axle attached to the car more or less, a drum would have just lost the wheel.

[Toploader]

Thain towards the end of Studebaker production as a vehicle manufacture (1966) they did go to flanged axles, and the Bonnevile Studes that Andy Grantelli ran all had flanged axles. Additionally, a real PITA are the rear bearings............they are NOT lubed via the rear(Dana 44) end!..........every 25K miles both rear axles have to be removed along with the bearings and their races to be cleaned and re-packed. I did mine just about 24K miles ago, but with modern grease (as opposed to the factory spec from 1962) that grease will out live me Putting them back is another PITA.............one has to utilize special tools to set proper spacing. Speaking of drums, Stude went to their parts bin, utilizing 11 inch finned drums that were off their 1/4 ton p/u trucks.