Rear brakes are newish including hardware and shoes. It holds fine, but it doesn't seem like the parking brake is auto adjusting. I loosen the adjustment nut and adjust them at the wheels until they drag a bit and then back it off a few clicks. Then I tighten the adjustment nut so it engages at 3 or 4 clicks. It's been a few weeks now and I have to pull the parking brake all the way to the top to get it to hold. Is there something I'm missing in the procedure? Does this also mean my rear brakes aren't doing any braking if they're not adjusting?

 

Do you have a good jack and a good set of jackstands.? Jack up the rear and install the jackstands...chock the front solid. Put the jeep in idle drive and slowly set the brakes while someone watches both back wheels. How hard on pedal before they stop spinning. Tighten up only the parking brake adjustment nut a little at a time. ..make sure the wheels spin with no brake noise when released. You might have to play with it for a while..Back brakes suck even on a good day. Where in NY are you

 

I don't believe the parking brakes self adjust.... There is an adjustment on the cables for the parking brake.

 

They're supposed to but have never known them to but I only find it necessary once a year, i.e. just before inspection.

The adjustment is not on the cables, that's just to take the slack out of stretched ones, som`e1thing that rarely, if `ever, needs doing in my experience.

The adjuster is between the shoes at the bottom and done by adjusting its length with the star wheel accessible through a slot in the backing plate. By method is to pull the lever up 4 clicks, then flick the adjuster round with a screwdriver until the wheel is locked, then release the lever to check the wheel is free. Fine tune, if needed, one tooth at a time. Replace rubber bung, repeat on other side. Been using this method for as long as I can remember, works every time (assuming the adjusters aren't seized).

 

This is the diagram, from the thread below that covered it. Not sure if it gets your problem or not.


https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/eme...p-asap-173894/

 

For one thing, I think you're not adjusting your rear shoes properly.
adjust til wheel stops. Then back off til the wheel just turns with a swoosh swoosh sound of the shoes against the drum.

 

That's what I do.

But since the parking brake uses the drums, it should also auto adjust. I guess my question comes to when does the star wheel actually auto adjust? forward braking? reverse braking? What's the easiest way to see if the adjuster is functioning when the brakes are applied? Slightly loose ratchet strap around with the drum off?

 

The regular brake function adjusts at the drum, with the star wheel. It auto adjusts when you brake going backwards iirc.

As the shoes/drums wear, the "adjustment" for the emergency brake is pulling the handle higher and higher until you need to adjust the lock/adjuster nuts on the equalizer again.

 

The star wheel adjusts the clearance between the shoes and drum.
The self adjusting feature of the SHOES is done when hard braking in reverse. Usually works like crap BTW. That's why you adjust your self adjusting shoes.

Once your shoes are adjusted, adjust the parkbrake lever to 3 or 4 clicks by using the cable adjuster.

 

No wonder the self-adjusters don't work, if they're dependent on something you never have cause to do. When I rebuilt the brakes on my '98 I found both the cables in the drums were broken - so I just left them out; no loss to me as I always manually adjust mine when the lever comes up 5 or 6 clicks, or the weekend before inspection, whichever comes 1st (and the only time I've ever touched the cable adjustment was when I had to replace the lever on this one). Like I said, always works for me although, must admit, Cruiser's way does read more textbook.

 

You do need to inspect the self-adjusting parts to see if they are functional, not stretched, worn, or bent and appropriately lubed

The self adjuster only just makes contact with the star wheel, If anything is amiss, they probably wont self adjust

a replacement self-adjusting kit can be purchased

follow the FSM instructions, as others have noted the self adjuster should work during "several hard applications of brakes while in reverse" (not something you do in normal operation)

Adjust the parking brake cable nut last

If it holds your vehicle on a steep hill, be thankful

the front cables may possibly stretch over time ?

XJ rear drums are one of my least favorite aspects of these cars, and it seems everything must be spot on for them to work ok

I can say for a fact maladjusted ones are downright nasty

 

This piece is$10.42 on AMZN:

Crown Auto Parking Brake Adjuster Kit 52009527 https://a.co/d/7zCqHFm