Rear drum star adjuster jammed.

TLDR.

Passenger Rear Star adjuster Jammed not able to move in any direction.

Replace part or penetrating fluid?

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Here I am again for the 4th time fiddling with the parking break star thing.
As my breaks feel squishier than a rotting potato, and I can’t park in any significant grade without it slowly rolling away from me like my hopes and dreams.(Yes it’s in neutral to test, I don’t like relying on the parking pawl)

Centre console adjuster was maxed. Driver side was totally loose.
Adjusted the driver side no problem.

Passenger side however, a real pain to move, decided to pull the drum off. Found out that the star adjuster aged 20 years and is jammed.

Should I replace the part, or can I add in some penetrating fluid and see if it unnamed it?
Or is there something I don’t know?

I’m kinda fed up with dealing with these drum break adjusters not doing it’s job.
Saving up on swapping for disc breaks.

 

You can try to put some snot on it...if it doesnt move , take it off and put it in a vise

 

Take the time to pull the shoes, clean up the hardware and grease in appropriate spots (anti seize the adjuster threads).

 

Of course you can. It might get you moving again.

But since the whole shebang needs a proper cleanup anyway, I'd disassemble as if I were installing new brakes, clean all the parts well, get the adjuster working freely, reassemble the parts and lube the appropriate locations along the way.

Then I'd open up the other side and at least give it a serious water blast cleaning, Brake cleaner cleaning, and a bit of lube on the adjuster threads and any other bits you can reach with something like a Qtip and needle nose.

 

Thanks.
I will try to free it up. I think I read somewhere that I would not apply lube in there for reasons about moving parts etc.

Snot? I don’t think nose meteors will help.

 

Looks like you are overdue for some routine maintenance.

Disassemble and clean everything up, use a wire brush on the adjusters then give the threads a light coating of high temp anti seize or brake caliper grease - you don't need much. Do the same for the slide points where the shoes ride on the backing plates.

Reassemble and adjust everything accordingly.

You can purchase a master hardware kit with all the springs and hold downs, usually under $20.

Don't breath the brake dust BTW.

 

Thats what southerners call penetrating lubricant...

 

Since the shoes are in fairly good shape I'd go minimal, penetrant is a good first step because if that frees it up you won't have to do anything other than clean and adjust the shoes.

If the shoes were thin or the adjuster completely seized, then it's time for a teardown