Trouble adjusting front brakes; 63 bug

[crowther]

I just bled the brakes to see if that would correct the squishy pedal and uneven braking (pulling to left). It greatly improved the pedal feel but still pulled, so I began the adjusting process. Worn adjusters probably made the job a bit more frustrating, but I followed standard procedure. Did each adjuster (2 per cylinder), tightening till slight drag, then back off a couple clicks, for each shoe. Thought I had it right, but now pulls to the right. It was late so I quit there.

This could go on and on. Is there a trick to getting better adjustment w/o doing it over and over? Last time I did brake work ona car the drum brakes had self-adjusters and I was spoiled.
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Paul
63 Bug, just because
57 MGA for the sunny days
82 911SC daily driver
12 MiniCooper ALL4
04 F150 for big jobs
2 car garage for all of this

[Eric&Barb]

No. You just have to adjust them correctly, or get someone else to do it for you.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[Egorspyle65]

Ive always been told you have to adjust drum brakes till they have a very slight drag. Its always worked for me. Was told this by a very reputable VW shop nearby.

[drscope]

Adjust until you have a slight drag and then back it off ONE click - not a couple clicks.

Pulling can also be caused by oil, grease or brake fluid leaking into the drum. This may also explain your squishy pedal.

you may want to pull the drums off and take a look inside.

And if you don't know how old your rubber flex lines are, it might be time to replace them. They can also make for some strange brake habits when they start to go bad.
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Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch!

[vdubmyk]

always adjust first and then bleed the system. If your brake hoses are collapsed it will definitely pull one way. They might "look" ok but they fail internally. If they look old, peace of mind will say replace them. One way to tell of a collapsed line is to raise the wheels off the ground and have a buddy hold the pedal down while you try to spin the wheel. If you cannot spin the wheel then you have good pressure and have him/her release the pedal, as you are trying to spin it. It should release right away, if it takes a second or two, your lines are probably restricted and need replacing. This is good for all four wheels. When I worked at a VW shop, that is how we checked them.
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64 stock bug, 12V (converted 6v unit), 40 hp, all documents even sales contract and dealer window sticker!

[79SuperVert]

What worked for me was first adjusting them first until they don't move at all, then pumping a lot, bleeding, and then adjusting for a slight drag.
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[Itawayoflife]

I think everybody has their own method. I adjust the pads until they can't go anymore, pump the brakes a couple of times and then back them off 1 or 2 clicks or until I get one full rotation when I spin the wheel.
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The quest continues...