Hey everyone. I just have a big poblem that maybe some one can help me with. In the past two days ive been struggeling with a 1998 f150. I put (DS) new wheel cylinder, hardware kit, parking brake cable, shoes and heres the problem. The new drum. At first i couldnt get the drum on so i adjusted the shoes all the way in an nothing. The drum will just not go on. So than i thought maybe... wrong parts. Nope one listing. So i took it all back apart to look for any improper installation signs. Nope, none of those neither. The customer would like his truck back and i would love it out of my shop but i just cannot get the drum on. All the springs are correct and everything i beleive is set right so if some one has any advce at all. Even if you think one of the springs are backwards or the smallest thing. Im at the point where i will try anything. So please feel free to drop a helpful line. Thanks alot guys.. Jason

 

Been a long time since I worked on a drum brake. I do remember getting the leading and trailing shoes mixed up one time. I can't recall if this caused the problem you're having, but I think I remember it causing some problem. Sure you have the right shoes?

Will the old drum fit? You can't trust part numbers.

 

It for me has also been a long time for drum brakes and i do not remember how to tell the difference from leading and following shoes but no not even the old drum will go back on. I do belive they are correct because i left the passenger side together for a referance point and everything seems to fit correctly. For exsample. Theres a pin on the bottom of one shoe thats there to just serve the purpose of the way the E-Brake cable goes on and sure enough... Slot A goes right into slot B with no problems.

 

Put a picture up of the assembled shoes and I can tell you if things look correct.
How close are you to it fitting? When everything is new I have had to lightly cut the drum, or more commonly break the leading edges of the shoes with a file to develope a small chamfer and assist with assembly.
Also be sure the that the parking brakes cable are fully adjusted slack - this should be your last adjustment once the rears brakes are assembled and adjusted.
In addition maybe verify that the wheel cylinders look the same size as the old ones - be sure that you did not install a larger bore cylinder.
A little concerning as I read your email it sounds like you are doing this for a fee for a customer - but no matter -
Another thought is that the rear end could have been swapped out with a year or two in either direction.
Good luck
Tim

 

While the shoes have the same radius, the shoe with the smaller amount of brake material goes towards the front of the vehicle, larger brake material goes to the rear.

Tim

 

The last timeI did a set of drums, I had to get one of the drums cut for it to go on. The ID was off by about 0.20, and it was enough to interfere with installation. Might be time to get out the gauges.....

 

Way back then, I do remember that the shoes were fitted to the drums on a top notch brake job. This eliminated the break in period. Does the outside circumference of the shoes fit the inside circumference of the drums?

 

Yes the ebrake cable was froze but i had no problem putting the spring kit on. Also i can not even get the old drum back on and i do belive that everything is correct. The measurements ar all good to go and the brake cylinder is the same. I do have a quick question. Its my buddys truck an its just tying up my shop but he came in with the LR wheel slightly dragging and i noticed the wheel cylinder leakig so he decided to do it all. Now with that in mind (the left rear slightly dragging) My question is... If the e-brake is froze engaged, and with the adjuster all the way in. Could the e-brake being froze on be my problem with the drum not going on?