Re: '88 Grand Wagon brake job

"Mark Corbelli" <m_corbelli@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:uS5Gj.1110$o35.150@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> OK so I did one side last night. Everything went OK. I used C-clamps for
a 
> second pair of hands. The brake tool kit helped with the springs. Had I 
> known it would be this easy, I'd started doing my own brakes years ago.
I 
> didn't change out the cylindars, so that made it easier I'm sure. I did
hit 
> a snag though. The new drums are too small. I adhusted the shoes all the
way 
> in and the new drum will bareley slide on.

  Try to loosen the parking brake cable. Sometimes the parking brake
cables 
gets adjusted whne someone doesn't want to pull the drum and properly
adjust 
the brakes. If you look at how the parking brake actuates both shoes you
will 
be able to tell if it is the problem.


I have them in the car plus one
> of the old ones and I'll head over to NAPA at lunch. I hope they can fix
it 
> for me. Also a friend told me that after I'm done I should travel 10' or
so 
> in reverse and hit the brakes several times. He said the brakes self
adjust 
> but only in reverse. Any truth to that?

   Yes, the brakes self adjust in reverse. You can do this in your
driveway, 
back up and apply the brakes somewhat hard then pull ahead and hit the
brakes 
again and then keep repeating until brakes are adjusted. You can usually
feel 
the brake pedal get higher if they are in need of adjustment.