After 60,000 miles on my 99 F-150, I decided to inspect the rear brakes. However my right rear adjuster appears to be stuck. Anyone know how to get the wheel off with a stuck adjuster? Also which way should it turn. When looking into the hole, should you try to move the teeth up or down. The left side I know is up, as it came right off. Is the right side the opposite of the left or the same? If I know which way to get it to turn, I may hit it with a screwdriver and hammer.

 

OK, I managed to break the adjuster loose. Come to find out the self adjuster inside the brake drum was hanging up the adjuster wheel when you tried to loosen it to get the brake drum off. (The left side did not do this). I had to poke a screwdriver in against the self adjuster and bend it out of the way. Once the wheel was off, I removed it and bent it back. To loosen either adjuster turn the wheel up. To tighten rear brakes, turn the adjuster down.

 

If you're looking at it through the plug in the backing plate, it should be the exact opposite.... From the backing plate side, down loosens the shoes, up tightens the shoes.

-Joe

 

The adjuster has that screw that moves out when the adjuster turns. This screw pushes against the cylinder and the shoe. as the wheel turns, it unscrews the bolt, forcing the nut away from the wheel cylinder, moving the shoes towards the drum.