Help, Rear Drums Not Working

**X6driver** · 10-25-12, 16:05

I have had weak rear brakes for a while and no parking brake. I took them apart and found the operating levers were seized (again). I got them moving and greased them up, re-installed everything with a new spring kit and new shoes, cleaned the drums with brake cleaner. I also put in 2 new wheel cylinders and bled the system out well. One cable was seized, so I replaced both cables.

The brakes are marginally better but the parking brake still did virtually nothing. I believe this is because the operating levers are not adjusting the shoes out from the minimum position that they are in after you reassemble everything. When you set the parking brake, it is suppose to operate the "quadrant" of the operating lever and adjust the shoes out to the correct position. So I replaced the operating levers ($117 for two simple parts).

Here's a picture from the FSM, looking down at the operating lever (aka Parking brake strut & adjuster assembly):

Still, when operating the parking brake, the operating levers don't seem to adjust. I've applied the parking brake with the drums off and one shoe moves out as it should, but the adjustment doesn't seem to work.

There really isn't much left to replace other than the drums which look fine and are are clean. I've adjusted the parking brake cable tension according to the FSM, 10 lbs of force for about 5 to 7 clicks.

What am I missing here? It almost seems like I've forgotten something but the FMS says I am doing it right.... I'm puzzled.

**chrmar** · 10-26-12, 20:36

With the drum off the shoes won't move as they should. Its been over a year since I had my drums apart but I did have to take all the levers and what not out and free them up to get the park brake working properly again...unfortunately I forget most of what I learned in doing so.

I do remember that they're really finicky things to get working properly again. I, like you, replaced the wheel cylinders, shoes, and springs. I had thought I needed cables but after freeing up the levers the park brake worked beautifully again.

My only suggestion would be to double-check everything and maybe take it all apart and re-assemble just to be double sure. Other than that...

**X6driver** · 11-12-12, 20:20

Not too many guys have drum brakes on the forum, but for anyone who does- the parking brake cable is essential and part of my problem is that the front cable (the one that attaches to the handle) was rusted. This didn't allow the bracket that holds the 2 cables going back to the wheels to swivel on the front cable - so one rear parking brake was getting tighter than the other. The looser one never really adjusted properly. After driving around and actioning the parking brake a few times, the system is working normally again.

**chrmar** · 11-14-12, 8:29

Did you have a problem with one wheel sticking if the car sat? My rear driver's side wheel has a tendency to lock up due to the car sitting for long periods of time (I'm not driving the car currently). I had purchased a set of cables for the car but didn't end up needing the rear ones once I dis-assembled and freed up everything.

**monoxidechild** · 11-14-12, 21:50

I gave up on my rear drums, and found a GT in a yard to get the Disc parts off of, and did a swap. Was the best thing i did on my n/a 89. What really pissed me off is i blew over $400 bux rebuilding them like a year prior.

**chrmar** · 11-15-12, 6:38

If I could find a GT MX-6 around here, I'd swap in a heartbeat. There once was a Probe GT in a yard near my parents but I have no idea if it is still there; this was a year ago I saw it.

**monoxidechild** · 11-15-12, 21:05

Yea, a PGT is what i yanked that parts off of. Keep in mind the 90-92 probe LX's also had rear disc's also.