new rear brakes, not releasing

[murrillcg]

So today I got out and replaced my rear brakes pads and all the springs, but now they are not releasing. I am sure that I put them back together coerrectly. If I am correct they should be self adjusting brakes. According to my dad, all I should have to do is back up and stop a few times to get them to adjust, but they still do not seem to want to release.

I have read through the Haynes manual and have not seen any thing about adjusting them except for something to do with the e-brake cable. I understand that it will take a little bit to wear down, but they should not be this stiff and dragging like they are. If anyone has any other tips, it would help out alot.

[fastivaB6TG25MR]

seems you adusted the shoes too tightly, self adjusting shoes only get tighter... they wont loosen.

[FestYboy]

and you don't have to move to adjust them. remove the drums (if you can) and push the adjuster all the way tward the backing plate (i'm talking about the half moon shaped thing on top of the equalizer bar that pokes through the forward shoe). once they're all the way in, install the drums and pump the brakes, that's IT.

[murrillcg]

and you don't have to move to adjust them. remove the drums (if you can) and push the adjuster all the way tward the backing plate (i'm talking about the half moon shaped thing on top of the equalizer bar that pokes through the forward shoe). once they're all the way in, install the drums and pump the brakes, that's IT.

I had to push the adjuster all the way in just to get the drums on. So not sure what the deal is.

[BCSpokerider]

IF you have installed the shoes and springs correctly.........and have the adjusters all of the way in......and the parking brake is properly adjusted and not dragging......then you have done it right. The new shoes WILL drag on the drums until the high spots are worn down........this is normal.

Someone had done a pictorial on here about the rear brakes.....I recall looking at it once. Try a search to view.

[murrillcg]

IF you have installed the shoes and springs correctly.........and have the adjusters all of the way in......and the parking brake is properly adjusted and not dragging......then you have done it right. The new shoes WILL drag on the drums until the high spots are worn down........this is normal.

Someone had done a pictorial on here about the rear brakes.....I recall looking at it once. Try a search to view.

I will go back out and try messing with the parking brake cable to ensure that it is adjusted properly. I also understand that the new shoes will drag until the high spots are worn, but was just concerned with the amount of dragging that it does have. The last thing I want is for the brakes to lock up on me and cause more damage and work.

I searched for the pictorial that you speak of and was unsuccessful, but I am sure that it was done right.

[Mike McKown]

Did you free up your emergency brake cable linkage and the self adjuster inside the drum? They're usually frozen and will cause the problem you describe.

[Zanzer]

Like Mike said. Make sure the adjuster hardware is free and everything pivots easily. I had to take a set out of a 90 L Plus and free them up just yesterday. It's a common problem on cars that sit for long periods. PS: Anti-seize is your friend on adjuster hardware and soak the cables well with penetrating oil like PB Blaster or the like

[91_festy_Gl]

It also helps to brake clean and chip off all the old brake dust that has gathered over the years, but thats just something I do.

[murrillcg]

Well last weekend I got out and messed with it again, and found out that I should not listen to some people (my Dad) and go with my first instinct. I will start by saying that while I was doing all the manual labor, he was doing what he calls supervising (laughing at me everytime I busted a knuckle or got pissed off), so as I was putting it all back together, I asked what were the torque specks for the rear spindle nuts, and his reply was "I don't see anything in here, so just make sure they are tight." So against my better judgement, I actually listened to him (mistake #1).

Like I said , I got out last weekend and messed with them a little and this time I took the book and found the torque specs, which led me to find that I had the spindle nuts way to tight. So I loosened the nuts and torqued them to spec. The problem is that I can get the passenger side to spin forward and back wards with a little effort, but the driver side will only go go backwards with a whole lot of force. Once I put it all back together and I put the car in gear, it will turn and not drag the tires, I have cleaned all the parts before I installed them and ensured that all internal parts moved freely, but the brakes still seem to drag. How long does it take for the shoes to wear down enough so it will spin freely or with a lot less drag? I drove it last weekend about for no further than 5 miles with stop and go, and when i got home the rims were pretty hot. Does anyone have any ideal what I might have done wrong (besides doing it myself)? Or is this just the normal breakin process.

[Safety Guy]

I don't think the hot rims are normal.

All I can tell you is to take off the drum again, take apart the brake assembly, make sure you push in the wheel cylinder ends before reinstalling the shoes, and flip the self-adjuster again before installing that.

Have you tried to reverse and brake in a parking lot to see what that does?

Karl

[WmWatt]

What size shoes did you install?

[murrillcg]

WmWatt, not sure what size the shoes were, I ordered then from Advanced Auto. They were thicker than the old ones, but just figured that the old ones were just worn.

Safety Guy, I have drove forward and backwards and braking in my drive way about 100 friggin times, plus drove circes in my culdasac until I got dizzy, and still no luck. I really didn't want to pull the drums back off, but I guess I don't have any choice. Hopefully the weather is nice tomorrow and I will check it out.

Thanks for the advice.

[Mike McKown]

Did you free up the emergency brake/self adjuster mechanism as previously posted?

If your drums will slide on the spindle, over the shoes without effort, the adjustment is not too tight and the shoes aren't too big. If you have to FORCE the drums on, over the shoes, something is wrong!

If you tightened the rear wheel bearings up real tight, and especially if you drove it, you may have ruined the wheels bearings by flat spotting the rollers or other. I'd look at them again.

Where is your man with the toolbox? Did he stay at Fort Knox?

[murrillcg]

Ok, so I go back out there and torn my rear drums back apart and believe I fixed it. I havent took it on a road test yet, but can already tell the difference. I have moved it forward and backwards while braking in my drive way. There was a lip on the drum, and I had to sand it down and it allowed the drums go on with ease and move freely.

Mike, I checked the bearings out and they seemed to be fine, but I am going to pick some new ones up in the near future just to be safe. Not sure which guy you are talking about, but one of them have left and went to Ft. Bliss, Tx which is in El Paso, and the other two are still there. I owe alot to those guys, they saved me alot of money and tought me a whole heck of a lot.