SO I feel into my old grove when it comes to adjusting brakes. I worked at a V-Dub shop for years and would first seat a set of shoes by adjusting them snug into the drum then back off to set the drag. I just found out that you cant back off the shoes in my truck! Is there something I can do??? I can spin the wheel with some EFFORT, but it heats up when I drive----I dont want to smoke this drum.

 

When turning the starwheel backwards, you need to push the adjuster lever away from it, as the lever will only allow the starwheel to turn forwards. You can use a long skinny screwdriver. I use a long scriber with a right-angle on the end.

 

Not sure about your truck , but its comin that the adjuster rod keeps the star wheel from turning in the losen direction , so you need to get you head in a posision that you can see into the slot and poke in there with a pocket screw diver and push the lever off the star wheel , so that you can back it off .

 

what they said...u need two scredrivers...one to push the plate and then one to back off the starwheel

 

Sweet! Bought a pick and backed them out on my lunch brake. Thanks guys!

 

You were on the right track. You set the Dodge drums exactly the same way as the VW, but just need the pick to back off the ratchet on the automatic slack adjuster.