I have the 4 wheel drum brakes on my car, it has all new shoes and turned drums. Just took it out for a spin and it seemed to stop fine, I just went around and felt all the drums and 3 of them were hot but one was not. I noticed at a stop if it creeped up a little like the front right wasn't grabbing much. The front right was the cool drum. Any suggestions would help.

 

Slacken off the three tight wheels a couple of clicks.

- Eric

 

I always run the same amount of clicks between the rf/lf and the rr/lr if the self adjusters are working properly it will all settle in correctly. In the mean time readjust your fronts again.

 

1 last quick question. On the front drums does the smaller shoe get installed towards the front of the car like the back brakes?

 

The larger of the 2 shoes always goes on the rearward location regardless of the location on the car.

 

Self adjusting brakes adjust when you are backing up with your foot on the brake, not when you just stop. Be sure to ride you brake pretty good when you are backing up. You might want to try this several times.

 

Don't expect full braking force until the shoes are broken in, by gentle use for some time--varies by how close to perfect the fit is between the shoe and the drum.

 

Not that I am doubting or disagreeing with what you said, but I was always under the impression that the self adjusters 'adjusted' each time you applied the brake while going in reverse?

 

That has always been my understanding as well: the action of applying the brake (the moment of application) pulls the shoes slightly in a "reverse" direction, which, if there's any play from the brakes being loose, moves the adjuster lever against the wheel, tightening it a notch.
If they're very loose, each application will get you another notch (or some fraction thereof).
My grandfather would always back out of his driveway pumping the brakes hard - POW, POW, POW - and then proceed on his way, in order to get the maximum adjustment possible. I still do the same thing every now and then, but the design is supposed to self-adjust in normal driving without any special attention (the only exception being that [I've been told] there are places in the US where people never have to back up [I've been told parts of California are like this] - in that case, the brakes will never self-adjust).

- Eric

 

Aren't you saying the same thing? In any case, the way the self adjusters work is that when you apply the brakes while going backwards, the shoes rotate in the same direction if there's any slack. This pushes the self adjuster link downward, moving the gear on the adjuster. This only happens once per brake application, because once the shoes rotate and hit the stop, there's no further movement of the self adjuster link relative to the adjuster gear. If there is still looseness in the brakes, letting off the brakes will allow the shoes to return to their normal position, then reapplying them moves the self adjuster link downward again. If there isn't any looseness in the shoes (i.e., the brakes are properly adjusted), the shoes won't rotate enough to move the self adjuster link and thus the adjuster gear won't be turned.

 

I suppose so. What I got from the post was that the brakes will adjust in reverse if you 'ride' the brakes. To me, that meant constant pressure as opposed to applying them then releasing and applying again. As I read it again, it was probably assumption on my part.

 

With or without self-adjusting brakes, if your right front was not adjusted tight enough the brake pedal would go to the floor! The hydraulic line between the front hubs would equalize pressure each time you pressed on the pedal. Once the left front brake engaged, the pressure would automatically move toward the brake cylinder without resistance and the pedal would travel until both brake cylinders had pressure to apply resistance to the drums. If your vehicle is pulling hard to one side or the other under hard braking you can tell there is a problem. If you are braking gently you may not be able to tell.

Sounds like you may have a seized brake cylinder or a rust clogged brake line. Brake fluid is hydroscopic meaning it attracts water and there are metal parts in the brake system that like to rust. Best check it out!