'87 GMC rear brakes.

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One of the many areas in need of attention on my '87 Sierra 1500 is the rear brakes. Last year I pulled the rear drums to see what kind of shape things were in. One side came off easy, but the other was a real fight. I assumed it was because it had been adjusted too tight. Anyway, I took everything off, cleaned and painted the backing plate, installed a new cylinder, and put on new shoes and hardware.

When I went to install the still serviceable drum, neither side would fit. Even when I turned the adjuster down as far as it would go the drum still wouldn't fit. Off to the auto parts store I go to make sure I got the right brake shoes. They send me home with a different set and I swap everything out. Drums still won't go on. I thought maybe the emergency brake cable was hanging up, but nope, seems OK. I go back to the parts store and get a new set of drums. Go home and the ones they gave me WILL go on, but they're too wide...the drum bottoms out on the backing plate LONG before the drum tightens against the axle. WTF?

So I go back to the parts store to check the drums. Get sent home with a different set that look more like the used ones I took off. Go to try them and...won't go on just like my originals. Long story a bit shorter I spent hours trying different combinations in the hope that I'll get something that works. Nope. So I go back and return everything, completely frustrated.

I spoke with a friend later on, who has worked at a Chev dealer for 40 years, and he told me sometimes they had to machine drums to fit the application. That one really threw me for a loop. In all my years of working on drum brake vehicles, I've never had this issue. Starting to wonder if my truck is cobbled from pieces or???

Any ideas guys? Honestly this is just one in a string of struggles I'm having with this thing. Just about to sell it and start over!