Andy, Randall - I just followed this, from the VTR Maintenance Handbook:
Adjustment of the Rear Brake Drums
by Brian Watts
A quick and accurate way of adjusting the rear brakes can be done quite
simply.
The traditional method is to have the car on jack stands and spin the
wheel as you are tightening the brake adjuster. This, however, does not
take into consideration the front shoe (which adjusting has no effect),
nor the proper vertical placement of the shoes relative to the drum.
An alternate way to adjust the rear brakes is to pull the emergency brake
handle up until you hear three or four clicks. On each rear wheel, tighten
each adjuster until snug. Pulling the hand lever up three clicks sets the
handle where you want it and it also positions the front shoe so it is
even with the rear one you are adjusting. This is so simple, yet it took
JK Jackson to explain it so it made sense!
http://www.vtr.org/maintain/brake-adjustment.shtml
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I have a better adjusted handbrake, and markedly better brakes generally,
than before, and this was one step in that process. I had always adjusted
drum brakes 'your' way before. Perhaps there is some difference in the pad
/ drum relative positions when only the adjuster is involved in setting
the rear brakes that is eliminated when the pads are 'snugged' to the drum
by the handbrake and the adjuster brought in to 'meet the pads'. You are
working both ends of both pads, rather than just one.
When I get to it again, I'll see if I can understand why it seems more
positive. If I keep count of the adjuster clicks, adjusting with and
without the handbrake involved, maybe I'll see a difference in adjustment.
I didn't know we were taking sides......
Brian
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