Slack Adjuster

[Cary and Don]

We decided to adjust the brakes on the 05 Eagle with spring brakes.  They all went well except one.  The drive axle on the curb side.  That slack adjuster looks like it has been on there forever.  It will only turn one turn each way and then locks up.  We suspect it has been that way for a while since the head of the bolt is all rounded off.  The throw is 2 1/2 inches with application.

The big problem now is it's location.  It is about one inch from the universal.  Is there a way to get it off without pulling the wheels and hub? 

The previous owner paid a fortune for a full brake job.  We have the receipts. Obviously,  the well known shop didn't replace this adjuster. If we had paid for it we would post the shop. Always check a shops work.

Don and Cary
1973 05 Eagle
GM 4107
Neoplan AN340

[bobofthenorth]

When all else fails the flame wrench will get it off but make sure the guy holding it knows what he is doing.  And have a fire extinguisher on standby.

[luvrbus]

Don, do you have any photos unless somebody did some weird mods for the spring brakes and I don't why that would happen there is plenty of room to remove a adjuster on a model 5 with springs or the  DD-3 

Pepole do werid stuff when installing spring brakes and a automatic tranny in Eagles lol

Are your brakes mounted on the rear of the axle or have they been moved to front like the later models ?

[Cary and Don]

Photos:








Don and Cary
1973 05 Eagle
GM 4107
Neoplan AN 340

[Cary and Don]

Is there a way to change out that adjusting screw without taking it off?  Will that even help?

Don and Cary
1973 05 Eagle
GM 4107
Neoplan AN340

[hargreaves]

Looks to me like you are going to have to pull the wheel. If you are going that far  I would purchase automatic adjusting slack adjusters and do both sides. .  Cheers  Gerry

[belfert]

I looked at the Bendix and Haldex-Midland websites and/or catalogs and neither seem to offer repair kits.  Manual slacks are so cheap I can see why they don't offer repair kits.

I agree with automatic slack adjusters, but I know some don't like them.  Automatic slacks have been required for about 20 years now and by all reports they work very well.

[bobofthenorth]

I'd pump some diesel fuel into that grease tit and keep trying to loosen up the slack.  If that doesn't work then you've got a really big project ahead of you.

[luvrbus]

Bummer Don you will need to pull the wheel and hub remove the snap ring on the end of the S cam then remove the S cam to replace that one some you need to remove the whole assembley to remove the adjuster,they changed that in 75 or 76 .

The adjustment bolt is install from the inside of the adjuster it will have to come off

good luck

[Cary and Don]

So, the lazy you know whats, pulled the hubs, rebuilt all the brakes, changed the chambers and didn't change the slack adjuster on this side?  They rebuilt the whole rear suspension  and new torsilastics, index it, had both rear hubs off, rebuilt the front end all to the tune of $26K and left this little monster on there? You wouldn't believe how loose all the air fittings were.  We blamed it on lack of use.  This thing blew air out of most of the fittings. It wasn't like money was a problem.  This owner knows nothing and took it to them and said "fix everything". Thank you Jefferson.  This is why we try to do everything ourselves.  We have been had by mechanics and thought it was just our bad luck. I doubt they have put 5000 miles on it since the work was done.

I guess we will jack the wheel up and see if the brake will set and release as it is.  If not then,  hope we can find somebody in the Sacramento area that can do this for us.

Don and Cary
1973 05 Eagle
GM 4107
Neoplan AN340
GM 4107

[luvrbus]

If the S cam is bad they are not to be had for that side it will need to go to a machine shop and built back to spec, me I would get ready to replace the bushings and redoing the S Cam.

I don't think you can buy a automatic adjuster that will match the splines on that S cam unless things have changed in the automatic adusters market over the years

Not knowing when or what year the work was I would be willing to bet a cold one if Roy was still alive when the work was done that slack adjuster was replaced at the time he would have never let that slide he replaced all the adjusters on a brake job even if they were good  

When it left the shop and his care it would have all new adjusters and not 1 air leak after he passed all bets off  

good luck

[hargreaves]

If you are getting 2 1/2" of travel you are not getting very much braking on that wheel.    Cheers Gerry

[Cary and Don]

Somewhere there was something about checking the clearance with a sheet of paper.  It barely slides between the drum and the shoe with the brakes released.  Brake application grabs the paper.  The park brake seems to be setting now also.  I guess the next step is to take it for a drive and check the drums for excessive heat.  It would also be nice if it actually stopped.

When checking the park brake we came across something that seems odd to us.  It takes a count of about 5 for the park brakes to set or release completely.

Don and Cary
1973 05 Eagle
GM 4107
Neoplan AN340

[hargreaves]

The correct travel for a rear slack adjuster is 1" to 2"  anything over 2" is an out of service condition according the  commercial vehicle inspection manual. It is measured at the slack adjuster clevis pin. If you have 2 1/2" you are not getting very much braking if any.   Cheers Gerry 

[bevans6]

If the chamber is a spring brake, it's possible to have long stroke chambers with more stroke potential than 2" but that would be unlikely, I think, in this case.  I would do as Clifford suggests, get it off the bus, check the S-cam, etc.  If an emergency, then just trying to free up the adjuster gear on the slack is what I would try, too, but you definitely want that adjuster to be adjusting AND locking in place with the lock ring.  The lock ring fits around the head of the adjusting bolt head - if that bolt head is rounded off and horrible, how will the locking ring work correctly?

Brian