Parking brake retaining nut

Overlook this and just replace the brake shoes.

Then I don't have to remove the parking brake assembly like the manual says?

Ed

Nope

Just remove the springs that hold the shoes to the backing plate, and the springs that hold the shoes to each other.

Lay the springs down in the same way they came off in order to re-install properly.

It's a good idea to replace spring hardware with a brake shoe replacement.

Assemble the shoes to each other on the bench, then place on the backing plate, just as they came off.

The e-brake is connected to the secondary shoe but is easily removed once you have the shoe off the backing plate.

Be sure to note the orientation of all parts, i.e.: long shoe, short shoe, which spring is where, which direction the springs face, etc.

Spdloader

Great, thanks.

There is a wheel that looks sort of like a gear that I believe people refer to as the star wheel. Do I need to make any adjustments to that since the new brake shoes will be thicker.

Ed

Yes, it is the star wheel adjuster. You will need to reduce it (shorten) to install your new shoes. Then put the drum back on, and a couple of lug nuts across from each other to hold the drum, then adjust the star wheel so as to expand the shoes out until they slightly drag inside the drum, then do the other side.

************** DO NOT PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH THE DRUMS OFF THE TRUCK!!! ****************

Get in the truck and press the brake pedal a couple of times to center the brakes, then make another adjustment until the shoes just start to drag a little

************** DO NOT PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH THE DRUMS OFF THE TRUCK!!! ****************

You will pop the wheel cylinders if you do.

Don't make final adjustments until both sets of shoes and the wheels are back on.

You will need to re-adjust periodically, those autoadjusters rarely work properly.

Good luck man,

Spdloader

You can email me direct if you need to just remove the nospam:

snipped-for-privacy@nospamtriad.rr.com

replacement.

most of them work via the emergency brake, instead of the old 'back up and apply brakes' system

so if the E-brake doesn't get used (as around here) the self-adjusters don't do their job

i took a picture of my brakes before disassembling the rear shoes-used a digital camera. just in case i got mixed up.

in addition, my chilton manual recommends only one wheel at a time. use the other wheel as a reference.

Thanks, Ed B. snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net

One brake at a time is a good idea as a reference, but sometimes they aren't a mirror image.

Stranger things have happened.

Spdloader