How to Adjust a Manual Slack Adjuster

Manual slack adjusters are designed to take up the slack that is left by the brakes' friction surfaces as they wear away.  The slack adjuster is located on the axle housing near the wheel. In a vehicle with drum brakes, the slack adjuster is located between the pushrod and S-cam.

When adjusting the slack adjuster, you'll need to access the bolt located at the base of the slack adjuster. A box end wrench is helpful for this task. It will easily slip over the adjustment bolt in one motion. Be careful not to turn the bolt too hard, or you'll risk pulling the pushrod out of the air cylinder.

If your vehicle's manual slack adjuster isn't adjusted properly, you'll need an experienced mechanic. If you've ever had a problem with your air brakes, you've probably had to readjust the brakes manually. A specialist mechanic should be able to diagnose and remedy the problem, but in most cases, this task requires more than one person.
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