Drum brakes use a star-wheel adjuster to keep the brake shoes close to the drum as the linings wear down. While they are supposed to adjust automatically when backing up, they often rust solid or stick. A brake spoon is a simple, flat pry tool designed to manually rotate this star wheel. It features thin, angled tips that slide through the small access slot in the brake backing plate.
By leveraging the spoon against the edge of the slot, you click the star wheel tooth-by-tooth to expand or contract the shoes. This allows you to set the correct clearance or retract the shoes so you can pull a stuck brake drum off. Be careful not to bend the backing plate slot. Apply a dab of anti-seize to the star-wheel threads during assembly to prevent future sticking.