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Frozen brake shoe adjusters

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 12:21 pm
by Brock36
I have been trying for a week to loosen the shoe adjusting screws on the front left wheel of my 73 Super.
I've drowned it in penetrating oil and banged at it with a chisel with no results.
Has anyone a suggestion?

Re: Frozen brake shoe adjusters

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 2:25 pm
by Ubermaus
I had a stubborn adjuster on my old '72 Super. Ended up using a heat gun to warm it and 50/50 Acetone and ATF. Had to heat it up so the oil would get into the threads. Just be careful to avoid heating the brake line up.

Re: Frozen brake shoe adjusters

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 3:03 pm
by Ol'fogasaurus
https://garage.eastwood.com/eastwood-ch ... uck-bolts/

ubermaus's idea is in these 10 ways. Good 'put ubermaus! Too much heat is the only drawback so the heat gun is a good idea.

Re: Frozen brake shoe adjusters

Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 2:07 pm
by ainokea
It's rusted in place and most likely it won't be easy to get out. A dull chisel and a heavy hammer to punch it out, then buy a new adjuster and anti seize before install

Re: Frozen brake shoe adjusters

Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 3:22 pm
by Marc
On some backing plates the bore goes all the way through so you can use a long drift from the opposite end, but I can't recall if that's true of Super fronts.

Re: Frozen brake shoe adjusters

Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 12:57 pm
by Brock36
Thanks guys. we've made some progress using a heat gun, rapping and penetrating oil I have got both adjusting screws to move but still can't get the star nuts to turn.

Re: Frozen brake shoe adjusters

Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 3:00 pm
by Marc
I've always just used a blunt cape chisel to knock the stars out and hoped for the best (half the time they're destroyed in the process, but with dozens of spares around that never worried me).
If you can remove the screw, perhaps threading in a 10mm bolt or a head stud with a nut on the other end to drive against (or better yet, pull on with a slide hammer) should get the star out without damage.
I suppose it comes down to what your time is worth. It's not like new replacement stars aren't available.
113 609 205A

Re: Frozen brake shoe adjusters

Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 2:12 am
by Bruce2
Brock36 wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 12:57 pm .. still can't get the star nuts to turn.
Your goal isn't to get it to turn, you need to get it out so you can sand the rust in the bore, and if the stars are good, sand the OD of the adjuster. Then slather it with anti-seize on assembly.
If you just free it up enough so it can be adjusted, by the next time you want to adjust your brakes it will be seized again.

Re: Frozen brake shoe adjusters

Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:09 am
by Brock36
Thanks for all the suggestions. I finally got the stars separated from the backing plate by threading a 10M bolt through the star adjuster to the end and continuing until the star pulled out. All sanded and anti-seized and ready for new shoes,
Thanks again.