How Tight Should Drums Be Adjusted?

[blown240]

I just installed all new drum brakes. New shoes, hardware, wheel cylinders, soft lines, all but 2 hard lines, master, booster, and captain fab bracket, drums were turned.

While my truck does shop better now, I wonder if it could be even better.

How tight should the front drums be? Like given a pretty good spin, how long should they turn?

Thanks!

[aerotruk63]

Shop Manual?
In the old days you had your brake shoes turned at the same time as your drums so the diameters will be close on both. What happens when you put new shoes on turned drums there is not full contact between the shoes ( smaller diameter) and turned drum ( larger diameter) . You can find a little less braking power till the shoes wear closer to the drum diameter.
ACCORDING TO THE SHOP MANUAL you need to use a special tool, basically a vernier style gauge to find the drum diameter, then starting from zero adjustment on the star wheel, adjust till it matches the drum diameter, then back off the star wheel one and a quarter turn. Take for a test drive to verify for brake binding or low brake pedal. Adjust till you get a high brake pedal that is not dragging the brake. While your adjusting the drum to shoe clearance there should be a little drag but not enough to keep the vehicle from rolling forward .

[jason999]

I'm a modern car guy so drum brakes are new to me. I just rebuilt my rear drums today. The first one was a bit of a challenge. The second one was easier, but then I found a broken emergency brake strut spring. It was the only spring that didn't come in my kit! I went three places before I found the $2.00 springs!

Anyway, I hope your brake job went easier than mine. With initial adjustment I chose to err on the side of caution. I didn't want dragging brakes and glazed shoes. I understand that the drums will tighten when you go in reverse and press the brakes. I was thinking that the automatic adjustment would help if I left them a little loose. Does that sound right?

[wilbur46]

Hi,
I'm a drum brake guy, cause I don't drive fast enough to warrant discs.
Shoes need to be arc'd to the drum. You can do it with a sanding board and some 60 grit. Make the shoes fit tight and bevel the ends. Make sure the leading shoe is in the right position. Bleed them with another person helping.
With all new brakes, the first thing I do is find an empty road and stomp on them several times. I mean lock em up.
Then readjust. Adjust them out till the drum will not turn at all , then back them off until they turn easy. I don't like self adjusters and usually remove them. They wear out and adjusting drums is a 10 minute job.
Also, If your using a ready made booster/cylinder combo your all right, but if you put it together, make sure the booster rod is not putting pressure on the cylinder.
Be sure to check for a 1/16 play between pedal and booster.
If the rears lock 1st, consider an adjuster in the rear line.
After making this short story long, good luck----Bill

[aerotruk63]

There were no self adjusting drum brakes prior to 1964. Passenger cars started in 63 and the trucks in 1964.

If you have 7 minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6qTqJ-tdrE