Just installed new shoes and wheel cylinders on my 85 4runner. With the adjusters totally bottomed out I can get the drums back on. I put a clamp on the shoes and tried to move them inward without much success. Should I try again with the bleeder open. Didn't have a second hand to bleed them today so I didn't bother. Once I do get the drums on they are so tight the wheels won't turn. Thoughts?

 

Are the shoes the right ones for your vehicle? If they are make sure the shoes are seated properly, and try with the bleeder screw loose this time. Good luck!

 

I had a similar problem with my '85 4runner ... I found that I had a Heinz 57 variety of parts from several different years in there ... to make a long story short ... the E-brake parts where from a later year which resulted in big problems when I put fresh shoe dimensions in there.... I threw those parts over the hill and made sure that all the new parts I had were truly '85 parts and it worked.... as for the e-brake parts... bah who needs that anyhow... lol ... seriously though ... I’m looking at the driveshaft E-brake from all pro atm. Not sure if this is your problem but you might want to look into it.... you never know what redneck engineering has taken place before you got your rig. Not that I'm opposed to redneck engineering.... But it always works better if you’re the redneck doing the engineering.

 

The thing I don't get is that we measured the shoes and compared to the old ones which obviously fit. They are exactly the same. My fear is that I am going to get the drums on and the first time I hit the brakes the will not return to rest they will stay against the drums.