can't remount drums

pappentl

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I've rebuilt the rear brakes with new cylinders, adjusters and shoes. I have decent drums which I now can't fit over the new shoes. Is there a trick to this or ?

Tom
B9473100
 

65sunbeam

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Did you back off the adjusters all the way? Is the brake piston fully retracted and the emergency brake released? Sometimes takes some wiggling of the shoes and/or the brake cylinder to let the drum go over them. Was there a large ridge on the brake drums-may need them turned down as that would also keep the drum from fitting over the shoes. Hope this helps! Eric
 

HolyCat

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Some More Possibilities

Eric's suggestions are good ones and will probably address the problem you are having. However, there may be some more things you might want to check. It has been a very long time since I last worked on my rear brakes, so my suggestions may or may not apply. And you may have already addressed these.

Make sure that both shoes are the same distance from the center of the axle. The drum will be centered on the axle, but the shoes may not be, causing the interference. Also, after you have backed off the adjuster all the way, make sure that brake cylinder pistons have retracted all the way by squeezing both ends with channel locks, just in case the brake return springs are weak. (If they are, you might want to replace them now.)

Good Luck!
 

pappentl

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CAT Member
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83
Thanks Eric and David. The adjusters are new and fully backed off. Springs are good. I am using the brake cylinders as received, I'll try some channel locks. The shoes are floating around a bit at present as the brake cylinders haven't been locked in yet.

SOLVED! I ordered new shoes from SS and they had thinner material so the drums fit. I've had the other NOS shoes for 30 years so I have no idea where they came from.

...tom
 
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