I recently made my first attempt at drum brakes. Everything is changed and working. My question is about the adjustment. When I'm finished driving, one drum is hot to the touch and the other isn't even warm. I'm assuming I've just got them adjusted wrong, and am going to take another look and make sure all is well internally. Assuming it is just the adjustment, should they be warm to the touch, or cool to the touch after driving? (ie. should I be trying to adjust the cold one so that it's warm, or the warm one so that its cold?)

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

I have always adjusted them so that they drag slightly as the tire is spined while up on the jack. A good spin would go about half way around and stop. I have always found mine to be warm to mildly hot but not burn you hot. They will warp if they are to tight. There is a front and rear shoe. If you bought the ones where you have to hammer the pins in you can get them mixed up. If the pins were in by the factory you should be alright. Tighten up on the cold one.

Good Luck

 

I think I have wrong wheel cylinders in my '82 Bronco. The wheel cyl. pins that touch the shoes are 1/2" away when no pedal pressure is applied. I have to push the pedal down 1/2 way before the shoe begins to expand. Everything is new except prop. valve. Could this be the valve, wrong wheel cyl. -or is the short pin normal?
I have bled several times and the rear brakes are always slow to react and help very little in braking the Bronco.
Thanks, Shane

 

I have done many brake jobs over the years and all of them were tight to the hub (back plate) mounted upper stop pin with the wheel cylinder pins tight to the shoes. The upper springs hold the shoes tight together against the upper stop pin (nonmovable pin mounted to the back plate along with the wheel cylinder) The wheel cylinder pins should be pushed outward tight against the brake shoes. I have not seen play between the wheel cylinder pins and the shoes before. You may have some problems, I would look further into it.

Brakes are important.

 

I know it does it on GMC's and Chevy's and my lil tempo i had.

Drum brakes are designed to set themselves while breaking in reverse. Go in reverse and mash on the brakes, Its supposto auto adjust them so there tigheter. But if your to tight, then you better take them down!

 

Roota: The shorter (primary) shoe goes in the front and the longer (secondary) goes in the back. Nevr-seize the threads on the adjuster. Put a very small dab of grease on the spots where the shoes land on the backplate so they don't wear grooves into them. You did clean and look at the "landing pad" areas? good. Before you put the drum on, apply and release some sideways tension to the adjuster cable and see that the star wheel actually turns. Use your brake adjuster tool, or plain ol vanilla scredriver driver like 50th Ann said. I like mine set to just before they drag but it doesn't really matter... than few thous of lining will be gone in a block or two anyway.
Shane: Not real familiar with the bronco, but it sounds like the wrong diameter wheel cylinder. The wheel cylinders have an internal spring that should keep the pins snug against the shoe. If the wheel cylinder is too small of a diameter, when the master cylinder returns it would suck too much fluid out and cause the pistons to retract further than they should. I would think that if you open the bleeder screw the cylinder should expand (and suck some air in at the same time) because of that spring and prove this idea up. This is just a guess! Weird problem, never seen that one. yet. let us know what you discover.