62 rear drums sticking

[bigwin59]

Ok first off this is a 1st for me I have never messed with drum brakes. My son disassembled the rear drum brakes, so I got to reassemble them, ugh.
So I bought new shoes, drums, wheel cylinders and hardware kit. Luckily I told him to take a picture of assembly. Working off his picture I got everything put back together.
Now the problem, first the short spring that goes on the parking brake bar between the shoes 1 side was broke. I found springs that were longer (h1338-2). They are longer by 2 coils but not stiffer.
Second, after all back together when the truck is in reverse no binding. In drive the brakes bind and seem to get tighter.
Any help please and thanks in advance. Did I say I dis like drum brakes.

62 chevy c10 350 and 700r4 sons build getting closer. Hope for him to be driving it on April fools day.

[DPowers]

Is it possible that the star adjusting wheel is backwards?

[bigwin59]

none self adjusting, I am pulling it apart again in a few.

[1966shortwide]

You want to make sure that your emergency brake cable's are not stuck or adjusted too tight as in pulling the center lever. If these won't release on their own you will need to replace or try to lube and free them up.If they are applying you won't be able to properly adjust correct.Just to see if they are not releasing take a punch and hammer and hit the the lever where it come's down to connect cable ,hit rearward on lower lever and see if it goe's back toward's rear of truck.Make sure cable's are not adjusted too tight at center of truck where the two cable's connect. Also are your shoe's on correct ,long shoe is on back as you face shoe's. You mention spring too long on center emergency lever ,is it spreading the shoe's???

[bigwin59]

After pulling it apart again I found the ebrake bar was in wrong slot putting pressure on drum. Also I had the adjuster out to far. Simple mistake duh. After I put the pieces together right problem solved.

[DPowers]

Great to hear.

[Brad54]

Just in case that doesn't fix the problem, I screwed up when I built the Dana 44 for my '61 Suburban: I assembled it on jack stands and slide the complete rear end under the truck... I had the rear end upside down when I put it together, which shouldn't matter... EXCEPT that it caused me to put the shoes on the wrong side. One of the shoes has less material... put them on backwards, and you'll end up dragging the brakes.

I didn't figure it out for thousands of miles. Around town it was okay, on a road trip it'd heat up the whole thing, to the point where the brake fluid got hot and I'd have a rock-hard brake pedal.

Yeah... not real proud of that particular piece of brilliance...

-Brad