Aaarrggghh. This is slightly long but I really need help. It's been several months. I've checked the (new, well-bled) master cylinder for pressure output, and it's getting past the distribution block. I've refurbed the distribution block, replaced the front-2-rear line, and both rear lines on my power drum setup. I've replaced, then rebuilt, the rear cylinders (rebuilt them just to make sure they weren't binding). I put a little grease on the backing plate contact points, cleaned everything. I've bled quarts and quarts of fluid, tried speed-bleeding, gravity bleeding (bleeds great), power bleeding. I don't have a mighty vac or I'd have tried vacuum bleeding too, but why should I expect that to help? I've adjusted the star-wheel until drums were tight, then backed them off about 1 turn. Still not getting rear brakes. I can't tell if they are soft, or binding. They are not "high-and-hard".

The springs are old, but sure felt strong when I was installing them. Could this be it? Is there a trick to lining up the shoes I may have missed somewhere? The front drums are OK.

One hint: The e-brake seems to work much better preventing the car from rolling forward. The car will roll backwards on most any incline. Doesn't this suggest the shoes are still binding somewhere?

Pete
(I could probably start reusing my brakefluid at this point)

I had a thought. This is probably an Olds P-type rear end. Would the brake shoes be slightly different? I bet that the car came with the wrong pads (probably for 68 Chevelle.... duh) and when I got new shoes, they (of course) matched up. Maybe the shoes are the wrong size or shape. Comments?

ttt

ttt (last time)

It's possible the shoes are wrong, I would think you would notice something when you installed them if they were. Check the #s at the parts store and see if there is a difference. You say this has been several months but how many miles have you driven it in that time? Just wondering if the shoes have had a chance to self adjust and seat in. You said you backed off the star wheel a full turn. If you turn the wheel by hand is there any drag at all? Can you hear the shoe dragging, even if only slightly, maybe only at certain points in the rotation? That's a pretty good starting point for drum brakes. If they're not adjusted properly only a very small portion of the top of the pad will contact the drum, that's not going to provide much stopping power.

When I turn the wheel, there is a slight amount of drag in only a small spot on both the wheels. As far a how many miles, I'd say a couple hundred (although I'm not sure they count, because the rear wheels may not have been functioning at all). I plan on checking the part numbers soon.

Yea, check the numbers, that would be my next move. The adjustment sounds like it's close enough that you should see decent braking from the rears.

Pete,
If the emergency brake adjustment is over adjusted prior to manually adjusting the star wheel this can cause a spongy feeling pedal.
Check your e-brake adjustment stud,if there is hardly no adjustment left this might be your problem.
To correct this,back off the e-brake adjuster,then re-adjust your rear star wheels tighter and finally adjust your ebrake if needed.

Hmmm. I never checked the e-brake adjustment. Which stud are you talking about? The one under the floorpans by the tranny?

Yeah,thats the one.Many times a prior owner will crank it all the way in to compensate for worn shoes to make the ebrake hold.The proper way to adjust them is the star wheels first then re-adjust the e-brake.Also when you adjust your rear brakes you'll want 1 full revolution with the car in neutral.

Thanks everyone, I can feel rear brakes again! I'm not sure if it was the e-brake, starwheel or re-bleeding, but I can feel the rears engage (slightly after the fronts still). On a hard stop, the car STOPS!

A few more adjustments and I'm done!

pete

Also keep in mind that drums only adjust when you stop the car while traveling in reverse. Make a few moderately hard stops while reversing and they should firm up a little more. Make sure you do this in a safe spot like an empty parking lot.