Rear Drums: hot & smelly!

cudaspaz said
I like to put the drum and wheel on and pop the plug to the adjuster off the backing plate and spin the adjuster wheel until there is just a little bit of scrubbing while turning free....both sides equally.

Wheel turned freely after install. Dumb question perhaps, but aren't the adjusters 'self adjusting'? I'm full of dumb questions :D

cudaspaz said
I'm thinking maybe you have them adjusted too tight, the parking brake is hung up or quite possibly the backing plates have deep grooves worn in them where the shoes slide while moving during braking.
I also lube up the star wheel adjuster threads with anti seize and put white lithium grease on the contact slider pads where the shoes slide on the backing plate.

Pull the parking brake with drums on then release it to see if it is hanging up then step on the brake pedal then release to see if that is causing problems.
You can also get a helper to lightly step on the brake pedal while you watch with the drum off and see if it all snaps back in place like it should. .

Didn't notice any serious grooves on the backing plates. There was still grease on the 'contact points'. I'll have to check the parking brake again, but I didn't notice any hanging up.

cudaspaz said
Have you bled the system properly yet? .

Yep, bled right after install. Got a decent pedal. Have noticed no deterioration or change in braking (besides the smell and heat that one time).

cudaspaz said
We're the drums a ***** to get off of the car or did they come off easily?

Originally, before installation: yes. After I re-did the brakes: no, they came off with normal force.