brake adjustment

[lugster]

I just saw goove_e1 about one brake moving and the other not, thought I would start a new thread.

So I replaced the brake shoes, (old shoes did not seem that bad), also noticed one side of the shoes moves while the other does not (answered in groove_e1 post). My question is, how do I adjust brakes (both at the star wheel and also the nut under the drivers floor).

I tightened the nut under the floor (not the whole way) a couple of years ago and noticed better stopping power and firmer brake pedal. when I replaced the shoes, I loosened that nut a bit thinking the new shoes would provide better braking (didn't turn out to be the case). I cleaned and lubed everything, the star wheel screw turns freely, the brake slides where it should. When I installed them, I turned the star wheel screw most of the way in. I tried to adjust while driving forward fast, applying the brakes hard and release before stop, didn't seem to change. Since I don't seem to have much brake pedal again, is there a way to adjust the nut under the floor and the star wheel in some tandem way?
Thanks!

[Clemsoncartguy]

I am not a golf cart pro but am not new to drum brakes.

You need to put the drum on and use that star adjuster to adjust the shoes up to the drum till you just feel them dragging when wheel is spun by hand.

I am not sure where it is but there should be access where you can get a screwdriver or brake tool into adjust the star with drum on either from the front or backside. All drum brakes on anything else I have ever messed with have an access hoke like this.

Wait on an expert to give you the exact among of adjustment t on the cable that you need and the proper procedure for that.

[Helirich]

When I did my last brake install, I just turned the star a couple clicks and tried the drum. Then pulled the drum off and repeated the process. When it started to get hard to put the drum on, I left it. They work good now.

I believe the star adjuster will adjust itself. (That is the purpose) So I guess you could just install everything and pump the brakes, as long as they are not too tight at first. (The adjusters only get tighter)

PS , I never touched the cables. They shouldn't need adjustment for new shoes.

[Clemsoncartguy]

Originally Posted by Helirich

When I did my last brake install, I just turned the star a couple clicks and tried the drum. Then pulled the drum off and repeated the process. When it started to get hard to put the drum on, I left it. They work good now.

I believe the star adjuster will adjust itself. (That is the purpose) So I guess you could just install everything and pump the brakes, as long as they are not too tight at first. (The adjusters only get tighter)

PS , I never touched the cables. They shouldn't need adjustment for new shoes.

I read on here the proper auto adjust ment is to be driving hit the brake firmly but release before your totally stopped and repeat until brakes are better

[Helirich]

Originally Posted by Clemsoncartguy

I read on here the proper auto adjust ment is to be driving hit the brake firmly but release before your totally stopped and repeat until brakes are better

I'll bet doing it that way helps the star wheel device work better. If you do it stopped, only the springs push it. But if your moving, the turning drum would hasten the shoe release.

try that in reverse it works better

[lugster]

Originally Posted by Helirich

When I did my last brake install, I just turned the star a couple clicks and tried the drum. Then pulled the drum off and repeated the process. When it started to get hard to put the drum on, I left it. They work good now.

I believe the star adjuster will adjust itself. (That is the purpose) So I guess you could just install everything and pump the brakes, as long as they are not too tight at first. (The adjusters only get tighter)

PS , I never touched the cables. They shouldn't need adjustment for new shoes.

I think I might do it this way, since the cable adjusts under the driver, is there a starting point adjustment, IE tighten the nut so the cable pulls immediately upon pushing the brake? maybe the cables have stretched a bit in 20 years?

[Clemsoncartguy]

I would tighten the cable up so there is no slack so that when the petal is pushed it just starts to pull the brakes. You don't want the petal to go way down before the cable even goes tight.

[lugster]

thanks, I think that is where I was in error,