What is procedure for service brakes. Removed covers and found LH air gap is greater than Rh. Had someone apply brakes both side move as should and we have no air leaks. Machine creeps with brakes applied in gear. Found adjuster wheel on bottom shoe,it will turn 1/4 turn I'm assuming what appears to be a lock has to be removed or just held up to allow adjustments. I can't afford an oops on this one because it will be roaded in traffic tomorrow. Any help is greatly appreciated.
These brakes are supposed to adjust automatically and only allegedly require "setting" when the new brake shoes are installed. What is the current thickness of the brake linings..? They are 3/4" thick when new and require replacement when they are worn down to 3/16". If there is plenty of thickness on the linings my guess would be that the automatic adjustment mechanism on the LH side is seized up. Fixing that would require disassembly. Adjustment procedure when installing new shoes is to turn the adjuster that you found until the shoes contact the drum then back off 8 "clicks".
Current shoes are close to 3/4". So the clip around adjuster wheel is just providing tension on the wheel and doesn't have to be released and I should just be able to turn adjuster to move air gap.
If you can't turn the adjuster wheel (it's threaded into the piston BTW) and get the brake shoes to move up tight up against the brake drum my suspicion is that the adjuster mechanism is probably seized. This is what the brake mechanism looks like. The adjuster is on the RH side of "Section A-A"
Thanks Nige. I just started working for this fleet 6 weeks ago. I was told by the shop helper that he and the other mechanic(barely a parts changer) had the brakes working perfectly. Find it hard to believe. Basically my days have been spent reworking their previous repairs or fixing their lack of P.M.skills. Thanks again for the reply.
I was hoping that seeing the wheel will move several teeth that I was overlooking a release or lock somewhere.