I have the back end up my truck jacked up as we speak both rear wheels off, one lug nut on each side loosely. I start the truck (front wheels chalked) with parking brake off and put it in to drive and slowly let my foot off the brake expecting the rear drums to start turning freely. Nothing happens, I give it a little fuel, still nothing, then I push a little more and the turn just a bit. I slam on the brakes to knock loose the drums, shut down and get out inspecting. RR is loose a little but I still can't get it off, LR seems to not have moved much at all. A little smoke and burnt smell come from in the inside of the RR drum. I have pried and knocked with a hammer a few times and can't seem to get them to budge. I checked again, to make sure the parking brake was off, it was. I even put it in neutral with no help... can anyone help? What should I do or try now? I don't understand why the drums will not turn freely. Also, just by looking on the back side of the drum with the wheels off I don't see any place to adjust the rear shoes as I have read in other forums with the star wheel. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am stuck until I get her back on the road!

 

Sounds like the shoes have eaten into the drums quite a ways. Check again for a plug covering the adjustment star wheel. I'm guessing that this is on the 99 listed in your profile. I have never seen a drum brake without an adjustment, but I guess I haven't seen them all tho.

First time I changed mine on my 98, I had to use PB Blaster, torch, and a 5 lb hammer. Finally got them free, but it was just about a draw.

Ed

 

Don't be shy, floor it if necessary and slam on the brakes in forward and reverse. If that doesn't get it try the parking brake instead of your foot. With stock shoes I doubt the drum is so worn that you can't pull the drum off, the shoes will wear before the drums.

 

Alright, that worked! I got the drums off now. I see the rubber cover to allow adjustment of the drums while everything is put back together, but right now using my hand I can't even budge the wheel or the stop either way. Do you think it's seized up? Drums and pads look ok I guess (I’m changing wheel cylinders). I did notice that the shoes closest to the front of the truck on either side was worn more than the back shoes, is this normal? also the bottom half of the back shoes feels rough and not smooth like the rest of the face of the shoes, it does not look like it has been in contact with the drum anytime soon, do you think this is because the shoes need adjusting? I also read on some posts here that some guys did not even take the springs off to replace the cylinder, I think I might try that since all these springs coming together are rather overwhelming....

 

Sounds like the adjuster wheel is stuck, any decent auto parts store will sell them, might as well replace both while you're in there. Put a light coating of high temp anti-seize compound on the threads of the new ones. You're gonna have to pull the springs to change the adjusters.

Either the brakes have been out of adjustment for a long time (likely) or the drums are worn way oversize (not as likely but possible).

 

Thanks to everyone for all your help so far! I could not have done this job without you guys! I have everything back together now and in the process of bleeding the brakes. Topped off under hood, loosened bleed valve and put small vinyl hose over end and put other end in clear jar with some clean fluid in the bottom to prevent air being sucked back in. With lid closed under hood, I gently pushed down the brake pedal about 1/4 of the way and repeated about 10 times while watching jar under truck. When reservoir under hood dropped down to add I took lid off, added more, put lid back on and repeated. The problem is that with every small pump I see air bubbles and can't figure out where they are coming from. Is there really that much air in the new wheel cylinders? How loose should the bleeder valve be? I had it just barely screwed in and then tightened it down and backed off just enough for fluid to come out when pumping and still air bubbles. Am I doing something wrong?

 

You really can't bleed brakes by yourself without a Mityvac or a pressure bleeder. Get a helper to run the pedal, have him (or her) pump the pedal a few times then hold pressure on it. While they are holding pressure, you crack the bleed screw. Close the bleed screw and repeat 4 or 5 times. Make sure you stress two things to your helper: 1- don't push the pedal to the floor, you should put a 2x4 under there to make sure this doesn't happen. 2- don't let up on the pedal while the bleed screw is open, this will only suck in more air.

 

Thanks again for all your help! I got every back together. Did a test drive... soft brake pedal (more than normal) and parking brake goes to floor. Jacked each side back up, adjusted star wheel some more and went on another test drive. Parking brake was a little better (about the way it was before I started) and bake pedal was about the same or a tad bit better. I really think I did a good job bleeding the brakes with the two man method. I bleed until I got clean fluid and no bubble sounds out of each bleeder. When I was adjusting the star wheel and spinning the wheel on each side it sounded as if the drum would touch in places and not in others while spinning the tire. I don't know what to do now... I’m going to drive it a few miles and jack each side back up and check again, if I can't get it any better I’m going to have to take to a shop Monday. If anyone has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated!

 

That's pretty normal.

Glad the bleeding worked out for you. I've tried to do it myself, too and it just doesn't work - you keep pulling air into the lines.

 

I'm trying to recollect without looking but believe it's possible to install the new cylinders up side down. If the bleed screw is on the bottom half of the cylinder it's imposible to get all the air out.
It has taken me quite a bit of fluid a couple times to bleed after installing the new cylinders, depends on how fast you move how much drains out of the lines.

I don't think you'll need a shop, we'll get you going, most likely a simple problem.

 

Ok, I’m going to try again today on the bleeding... I looked, the bleed screw is on top, so I know they are not in upside down. Yesterday I used a whole 32oz bottle of brake fluid on the back lines to try and get all the air bleeder out with the two man method with no prevail. Do the $10.00 and less bleeder kits you can pick up at AutoZone or Advanced Auto do any good? I’m thinking of getting one of those and re-bleeding today.

Also, as I mentioned before when adjusting the start wheel and spinning the tire you hear it shoes touch one some places but not others on the drum. Is this when I should stop turning the star wheel, or should I keep adjusting down until I can hear the shoes rubbing on a full revolution of spinning the tire?

 

Adjust it until the wheel gets hard to turn, then back off a few clicks.

If you're talking about the Mity-vac type vacuum bleeder kits, yes they do work. Make sure you put some grease on the bleeder screw threads and also on the fitting that connects to the bleed screw, otherwise you pull air in from there and it makes you think there's still air in the system. I've always had very good success with the two man method.

 

I only use my Mity Vac if I don't have someone around for the two man method. It is normal to hear the drum touch and then not touch. Becareful that you do not adjust them too tight or you will have very rapid wear and drum damage. Remember that the majority of your braking is done with the front brakes.

 

Instead of bleeding the brakes again I thought I would jack up the back end and check the adjustment on the rear drums. when spinning the tire you could only hear it touch about 1/4 of a turn then the rest of the revolution was pretty much free spinning, I adjusted both sides down a bit more so that about 1/2 to 3/4 of the revolution sounded like it was touching (it was getting a little tough to spin). When I test drove I noticed a huge difference, nice firm brake pedal and parking brake stops comfortably about 1/2 way down and holds truck while in D. I drove around about 3-4 miles, pulled in an empty parking lot and did the back up and slam on the brakes technique twice, each time locking up the fronts in the process. I came home to inspect. The front wheels were hot to touch and the bake wheels were cold/warm (did not test drive above 45 MPH). Does it sound like I’m back in business or does the adjustment sound off with the front’s getting that hot?

 

Sounds good to me. I'll bet if you jack the rear and try to spin the tires now they will hardly rub if at all.