Brake Adjustment Confusion

You use the hole with the piece of silver metal showing. The adjuster star should be there too. That piece of metal is the locking tab for the self adjusting brakes. it keeps the star adjuster from backing off, so you have to lift it out of the way in order to back off the brakes. You can use a small screwdriver to do that but its a bit of a PITA.  Be sure you can get that tab out of the way and back off the adjuster before you try to tighten it, if you don't you can end up with the shoes locked up. Here is a link to a good picture of what you're looking at.

Originally posted by podwerkz Just FYI: It's common for one wheel to lock in gravel or on a dirt road before the other wheel locks during light to medium brake application. These 'never adjust' or 'self adjust' electric brakes don't synchronize themselves...when one side has enough wear, it will click up a notch and then it has a bit more 'grab' than the other side for awhile, until that one catches up. Now, if you slam the trailer brakes to maximum braking force on gravel, they SHOULD both be able to lock up.