Adjustment hole rear drum brakes 2017 Tacoma

I've been in the automotive business for almost 30 years and have worked on mainly North American vehicles and adjusting rear drum brakes was usually pretty standard but on my 2017 Tacoma when u remove the rear rubber grommets to gain access to the starwheel adjuster the teeth on the adjustment wheel aren't visible.Anyone run into this?

 

They aren't directly visible. It's kinda off to a side...screwdriver needs to be angled in the hole.

 

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Wow are u serious!I guess they must want to sell Starwheel adjusters because over time thats gonna chew the teeth off sooner than later!Its something so simple to position that adjustment hole in the correct place but thats not the first time i ran into that,...on the early 2000's Pontiac Sunfire's the adjustment hole was incorrectly applied to.Anyway thanks for the info!!!

 

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Thanks lol!

 

I use a small pry bar with a 45 degree bend, but most drums I simply adjust when the the drum is off. I only adjust through the service hole when the customers drums are ridged.

 

When u say ridged u mean an outside edge left on the drum as result of the shoes wearing the drum?

 

And the prybar with 45 deg bend u mean u use out in front of the drum between the drum and backing plate to pry it off.If so thats good when its new or maybe with bolt holes on the front of the drum u could use a proper 2 bolt puller with bracket to remove the drum but i guess i thought like normal adjustment holes in the rear of the backing plate the teeth on the starwheel adjuster would directly in front of u so u could use ur small prybar/brake adjustment tool to roll the shoes back with ease instead of over time when things start to get a lil seized chewing the teeth off the starwheel by having to roll them in on an angle and if u can do that by prying on the front or using a puller u could wreck the hold down springs.

 

Yes

To back off I use a long pick, and ram the star wheel in reverse, it helps that I work on a lot of Toyotas.

 

I have got to ask why do you think you need to adjust the brakes on a 2017? My last one was a 97 with 300K never had rear brakes adjusted or replaced. The 2011 has over a hundred K never have had the brake plugs out.

 

Normal per Toyota

 

Thank you to all who gave advice i really appreciate that!!!!!

 

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