Thanks a lot for the help guys

I'll pick up all the parts, and hopefully we'll get a nice day when I'm not at work so I can get this done(No garage to work in). I'll post back afterwards and let you all know how I made out.

Oh and one more question, I have the self-adjusting brakes. Should I still adjust them manually after I'm finished?

 

It sounds like Ill go ahead and replace the cylinders as well. Fastback 460, as far as the tear down and re assemble goes its fairly striaght forward once you get passed the confusion of seeing the mess of springs and cables. Pull the return springs out of their holes in the shoes (I used vice grips as well as a flat blade screw driver to sortof "pry' them out, since you're replacing the springs theres no need to worry about bending them). For the smaller springs (the ones attached to the shoes and the pin from the backplate) I used a big flat blade to apply pressure to the spring to get it to release the pin, and then removed them.

One thing to note: If you order a new hardware kit that includes both drums, it will come with side specific packets of springs, star adjuster nuts, and the stopper levers. Obviously in order for the star adjusters to work correctly you must install them on their corresponding sides. I had to bend my stopper levers (the tab that keeps the star nut from turning and backing out) in slightly so they caught the nut correctly.
Like Crewcabber said, take your time and do one drum at a time, using the other side for reference.
There is a little bolt and nut at the top that retains the Ebrake lever, youll need to take the nut off with a small socket. I had to use a flatblade and hammer to pry/wack the bolt out of its retaining washer. It is spring loaded so be ready for pieces to scatter.

It's a little difficult to get everything back together. I attached the return spring to the shoes and then spred the shoes apart to fit them back onto the cylinder rods. I found this to be easier then trying to pull the spring apart to get it into the holes in the shoes.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

I'm still looking for the correct length of ebrake cable to order. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Get the shoes close to the drum . Pit it all together and start it up and put it in reverse stop reverse stop reverse stop and so on and so forth until the pedal gets firmer and your done.
When you reverse and stop each time the starches adjusted and tightened.

 

This may or may not work. The self-adjusting mechanism is a joke on these trucks. You might find that you have to go back and forward 50 times before they're adjusted correctly, or that they still aren't adjusted right.

The correct way to adjust drum brakes is to jack the wheel up and use a screwdriver to move the starwheel through the backing plate. That's what the hole is there for. When you can hear the shoes drag lightly through a complete revolution, you're done.

 

Yup... the little cable was broken on mine so I didn't even bother putting the auto adjusters back in. I just adjust the brakes manually when I feel them getting a bit worn.

 

You guys are right. What I should have said was once they drag back up a few times and it should take out zip more slack.

 

So what's holding the bottom of the brake shoes together?

 

I think he's talking about the lever that swings back and forth to adjust it.

 

Thanks Crewcabber

Yeah there's a little steel cable in there that pulls on a lever, which in turn spins the star wheel. Well, I went to replace everything and found that cable snapped in two.

I had bought 2 spring and hardware kits (one for each side) just so I could replace everything and start fresh, but sure enough that cable wasn't included so I said screw it. Every Ford I've owned with drum brakes, the dang adjusters never worked all that good anyway. So, I left the cables and levers out. Everything else is still in there, all new cylinders, springs, pins, linings, and adjusters, which stays where I set it on it's own.

 

Anyone have an idea what the ideal break fluid to run is?

 

Whatever was in there before, should be DOT3 if I remember right. Different brake fluids don't mix, so if you want to change to something else like DOT4 (or is it DOT5?) which is silicone based, you have to flush ALL the old stuff out first.

 

Heres some images I found to be helpful..








From thread Any Diagrams for 1986 Ford F-250 Rear Brakes?

 

And thanks Ill probably just run whatever was in there. If it was DOT3 then that'll do lol

 

The reservoir on my 97 says dot 3 yours should be the same.

 

I have a little vacuum pump I like to use. Course it's kinda fun yelling at someone and gettin' away with it. The pump has a hose that goes over the end of the bleeder and goes to a small container and then to the pump. Pretty handy if your by yourself.