89GT351

that sound would be heard if the brake pads are bad, I just had them replaced

mattdel

i already said, they aren't adjusted properly.

go out, jack the car up, put it in neutral, and spin the wheel by hand.

if the brake shoes aren't stopping the wheel within 1 or 2 revolutions, they aren't adjusted properly.

86 5.0L

well I sorta got it right[8D]

89GT351

I think I know what might have happendwhen I was changing the brake pads there is a little bolt like adjuster at the bottom when you turn it spreads the brake pads apart, I don't think I set it in original position could that be it?

86 5.0L

thats the adjuster and yes thats your problem

89GT351

now, how do I adjust it properly? how many times do I have to turn the adjuster?

mattdel

turn it out a bit and put the drum back on. then spin the drum forward, like the car is moving forward.
dont be afraid to wiggle the shoes side to side and up and down, to get them sitting properly.
you might end up with the right adjustment, but the shoes move, and the drum wont go on, so you would in turn un-do the adjustment, thinking it was too far out, but infact the shoes moved.

correct adjustment of rear shoes is in place when the shoes are just barely touching, and able to stop the freespin of the drum within 1 to 2 revolutions.

86 5.0L

I rememberit involved a piece of paper.....

[&:] that reminds me I need to adjust mine too....

89GT351

OK, thanks guys once I get home I will jack the car up and give the adjuster a couple of turns and see what happens. I should have just got the disk brake conversion kit I think it's much easier to work with.

lx5oh

before the regulars talk you into getting rid of your drum brakes altogether and replacing them with disc brakes to solve your problem, try the cheapest solutions first. you should be able to pull up on the e brake handle as hard as you can without it hitting the top of its motion before it's as tight as it can go. if it could be tighter but it won't swing up any more, then you just need to tighten the cable. to do this you need to take out the tray underneath the ebrake handle. not sure how it is on an 89 but that's how it is on my 84. point is, take off what you have to in order to get to the base of the handle. there's a bolt there that the cable slides through, so tighten that to your satisfaction, but not so much that the cable is too tight when the brake is off. find the happy middle.

if that doesn't fix it, then you can try the adjuster. (the full name is the SELF adjuster, so you shouldn't need to do anything, but they corrode so it's adjustment might be necessary.) you can do that without taking off the drum. there's a rubber grommet on the other side facing the gas tank, i think it's rectangular, about the right size for a flat head screwdriver to fit through. take it out, and with a flathead screwdriver, turn the star thingy til it's at the tightness specified before. if that doesn't work, i guess you can take off the drums.

don't bother replacing the ebrake cable. it's a hugh pain in the ****, i've done them all on my car. you only really need to do that if they bind up and cause your drums to rub all the time, which was my case twice. this will be evident by one side having bare pads and the other thick.

those are the free options. i've always been taught to do the free stuff first, then the cheapest/simplest, and work up that way. if that doesn't work, i'm sure the regulars could tell you how to do a disc conversion.