I was just about finished replacing my drum brakes, when I went to put the new drums on, they wouldn't fit over the new shoes. The adjuster wheel is all the way compressed, the parking brake is not engaged, and the parts are correct. Everything seems to be installed correctly, but the front shoe looks like it's not seated correctly on the contact points (too far forward). Any ideas?

 

Pictures? If they are the correct parts then something went awry during the assembly process. When I tear into something I'm not real familiar with, I like to take a few pictures for reference for reassembly. If you could post a pic maybe someone could point out something they notice.

 

I had a similar issue on a 2000 Saturn SC a few months ago. We used all new parts on the rear drums. New springs, catches, star wheel, cables, etc. Everything was new, even the wheel cylinder.

Come to find out the new "Drum Brake Adjusting Screw" we purchased was a little longer than it should have been when full screwed in and seated. Poor quality control maybe?? We even disconnected the emergency brake cable so it was not in play. And we still could not get that drum to fit. But, when we used the original and old drum brake adjusting screw we could get the drum to go back on.

You might check all of your new parts to ensure they are the same exact dimensions.