Brake Drums too tight?

[Arl37]

How free should brake drums be when rotated on a 69 C10 2wd? Brakes and drums are new with only a few hundred miles on them. They are pretty tight when you spin them with tire mounted. Slight rub or drag at one point when they spin. Can only make about 1 revolution before they stop. Cant loosen because there is no slot in backing plate as they are self adjusting. Cant get drum off because brakes are so tight. Been advised may have to take spindle nut off to get drum off. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
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[jocko]

self adjusting is only a feature that will help spread the shoes as they wear. Sounds like you need to loosen the star adjustor a bit - are you saying there is NO slot, or is it just covered with metal, i.e. such that you can poke it out? They should not be as tight as you are describing. If they slowly stop at 1 rev, then too tight. However, you mention a drag then a spin - if it's way loose when it does spin, then you may have another out of round issue (drum) or perhaps one shoe slightly out of position. Not sure if that is any help. Some drums will need to have the adjustor hole poked out with a big ol screwdriver or something to allow access to the star wheel.

[OSM 70 C20]

I haven't punched them out yet, but there is a slot in the drum itself on mine, not on the backing plate.

[Daddy Brim]

Front brakes adjustment is on the outside, backs in inside. You may need to push back adjuster with small screwdriver to get star wheel to move. Try this link it help me a lot.http://www.pbase.com/nufsed/drumbrake

[rsavage]

That will work. Take a heavy drift and punch in on one end and pry outward with the idea of breaking it loose so you can grab it with a vise grip or pliers and finish getting it off. It really should be removed before the drum is installed, but you can't do that now. You need to lift the self adjusting arm off the star wheel with a small screw driver and use another flat blade screw drive to turn the wheel to back the adjustment off a little. Use a flashlight to see the wheel so you know where to position your screwdrivers. I always adjust tight until the drum wont turn and shoes are set and then back off until it will spin with the slightest of shoe contact. When you remove a drum you should have to back off the adjustment. Otherwise you will ruin the brake shoe hold down hardware.

[Arl37]

Anyone have a picture of the knockout?
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[geezer#99]

Some of the newer drums don't come with the adjuster slot on the front. You need to cut a slot in the backing plate and put a rubber dust plug in it.