Re: '88 Grand Wagon brake job

Yes.  That can have just enough pressure on it to hold them out slightly.

If you can put the wheel on the lugs and spin it, the shoes aren't too 
tight.  You might not be able to spin the drum by hand though.  Once you 
hit the pedal a couple times the shoes will seat in a little better also 
usually.

Mike

Mark Corbelli wrote:
> By brake resevoir cap, are you speaking of the master cyliner cover
under 
> the hood?
> 
> "Mike Romain" <romainm@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
> news:47e90cbd$0$664$9a6e19ea@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> Sometimes you have to open the brake reservoir cap to get the wheel 
>> cylinders to compress so the shoes fit on.  The air pressure under the
cap 
>> will push the little pistons back out.
>>
>> The other issue can be a too tight emergency brake cable.  The e-brake 
>> cable will want some slack in it at this point so it isn't pulling on
it's 
>> levering system.  'Just enough' to stay tight with no lever movement.
>>
>> You must do a manual adjust through the hole in the backing plate when
you 
>> put the drums on or the self adjusters might not catch.  The cable can
be 
>> too loose on a new install and needs to be snugged up.
>>
>> The brake adjusters 'set' when you hit the brakes going forward.  Then 
>> when you hit the brakes in reverse, the shoes ****ft, pulling on that
cable 
>> which turns the star wheel.  You need to then go forward and hit the 
>> brakes again to re-set them, before another brake hit in the reverse 
>> direction will try to adjust them again.
>>
>> Mike
>> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>> 'New' frame in the works for '08.  Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build
>> Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com
>>
>> Mark Corbelli wrote:
>>> 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. 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? 
> 
>