New shoes and drums; How tight is normal? [Archive] - Team Camaro Tech

: New shoes and drums; How tight is normal?


GunnerV
Feb 26th, 07, 04:44 PM
I just replaced my brake shoes and drums, and now I can no longer turn the wheels by hand. The star adjusters were in as far as they would go. Will they bed in shortly, or did I goon something up?

kustomwerker
Feb 26th, 07, 04:58 PM
with the adjusters all the way in, you should be able to spin the wheel freely by hand...unfortunately it sounds like you may have gooned something up....i`d look into the ebrake lever inside the drum...if it was frozen to begin with, you wouldnt notice it, until new shoes...also if the shoe surface is 2 different sizes, the small shoes go in front...that will frig you up too...hope this helps...

Everett#2390
Feb 26th, 07, 05:28 PM
New drums may have came with a protective coating on them and by cleaning it off at time of install, may bind them up. You might try and apply the brake pedal to 'center' the shoes about the drum, maybe.

You also might reach in the adjustment slot with a screwdriver to push the self-adjuster away from the star and turn down the adjuster. The adjuster may have 'adjusted' itself while you were turning the drum.

However, there still should be plenty of adjustment room between new shoes & drums. If you get the drums off, take the shoes, mark them per side and their corresponding drum, and have an older brake shop "arc-grind" the shoes to match the designated drum. Now, the shoes will match the arc of the drum.