Rear drum installation can be a pain! Make sure the parking brake band is at the smallest diameter, put the centering tool over the bearing race adjust the tool to a shoe in the middle of the shoe. Move the tool towards an end of the shoe if you can, move and adjust the tool until you can move the tool in an arc, move the shoe until the shoe is centered. Move to the other shoe, when you can turn the tool all the way around with the pointer just touching the shoes then you can install the drum
You really need to play with the tool and get a feel for it, once you do you’ll see how to use it
Ted, move the shoe how? With the adjusting wedge? By bending the roller track ears? Arcing the shoes?
I have used a cutaway drum to center the brake shoes. This drum is used only for centering the shoes. It is replaced with a functional drum after the shoes are centered.
Bob
![]()
The shoes centre themselves when the brakes are applied. The clevis is tapered and when it sits on the adjusting wedge, it can move in and out in relation to the drum.
Agree, getting maximum contact area between the shoe and the drum is of high importance.True, the only difference between the front and rear is the E brake. I think the real issue in this discussing should be arcing, both front and rear.