First time doing drum brakes, replaced everything but the drums. Now one side is sticking after I engage the parking brake. Couldn't get the drum back on until I stuck a screwdriver in and wedged the parking brake lever out away from where the cable comes through the backing plate. Still didn't go on as easily as the other side and after doing and undoing the parking brake it drags. The self-adjuster cable loosens itself after using the brakes too, don't know if that could be related. As far as I can tell I installed everything right and I've screwed the adjuster all the way in.

 

Hi, put some pictures to relate the problem.

 

I can't tell anything from pictures but maybe someone who knows more about these things can make sense of it.
This is before I put the drum on, after pushing the parking brake lever to the left (which brings the shoes in enough for the drum to slide over):

the parking brake cable + its spring where it comes through the backing plate


And here is after applying and releasing the parking brake. And shimmying the drum back off obviously. The drum will not go back on in this state.



I see no difference in the first pictures except that the shoes remain expanded after using the parking brake. In the pictures of the cable you can see that I had to stretch the spring to allow the drum to go on and that it goes back into its normal position after use. Don't know if any of this is useful information

I'm guessing this is just an issue of lubrication somewhere in the parking brake mechanism? Should the spring be moving out with the cable like that? As far as I remember it wasn't attached to the end, just sits around the cable

 

Unrelated question: is it a bad sign that I hear things happening in the diff when the wheels turn?

 

Everything appears to be functioning as normal.

You may have a rusty parking brake cable, and it is binding internally. When it does that, one side will "stick" because the cable does not slacken like it should. You mention only one side sticks, and only after using the cable.

This would be my suspicion, as I had the same issue. I'd personally just replace all the cables after the bare equalizer cable connection, as the two sheathed cables that run to each wheel are notorious for rusting.

Also, no, there is likely no issue with your differential, though if you can describe the noise that would help. If the tires are spinning opposite when you turn one, that's just the spider gears turning.

 

Thanks for the reply. Don't have time to wait on a new cable right now so I squirted some WD40 on and exercised it for awhile... seems to be behaving now. Hard to tell by feel if it's still dragging but it spins about half a turn after I let go. Drum goes on and off ok.

I'll definitely replace the cable soon.. Did the one on the other side before (was missing when I got the truck) and it was a bit of a bitch. Hopefully the WD40 lasts, just need my truck back for a few days.

Thanks

 

For what its worth, I removed the e-brake cams and equalizer from the drums on my truck years ago, when they were stuck.

I've since replaced the cables and they work well, but this is an option if they are dragging and you cannot go without your truck.