1997 Dodge Ram 1500 2wd.

Replaced the rear bearings which required taking off the brake drums, draining the differential, and removing the axle shafts. I made no adjustments to the brake assembly itself during this time. Now that the new bearings are in and axle shafts replaced I can't get the drums back on. I used a bearing hammer tool to get the bearing/seals in and out.

I have tried adjusting the star screw assembly but it only rotates one direction. The parking brake is not engaged and the truck is in neutral. What can I do to get the brake pads compressed enough to get the drums back on?

6/11/2012 5:47:12 PM

Nevermind about the star screw. I got it adjusting both ways. Just have to hold the adjusting level out of the way the whole time. I have the adjuster all the way relaxed and the pads are still to far apart.

Was able to get both sides of the wheel cylinder to press in and still nothing.

[Edited on June 11, 2012 at 6:17 PM. Reason : df]

6/11/2012 6:00:38 PM

So the drums still wont fit over the new shoes? By how much? Are you sure you've fully compressed the brake drum's pistons? Squeeze the hell out of the pads together with some sort of clamp. If youve wound the adjustment wheel all the way down and that adjustment linkage is fully retracted but the shoes still arent pulling in then youve either reassembled the pieces incorrectly or the pistons arent compressed fully. Make sure the parking brake was not accidentally engaged as well.

6/11/2012 11:17:09 PM

long shoe front
short shoe rear

6/12/2012 2:11:17 AM

I did not touch the shoes. Nothing on the brake shoes/assembly was touched or replaced. Only the drum was slid off. I'm starting to wonder if I have the axle shafts backwards. I would think they are universal but who knows. The parking brake is off. That is how the drums came off in the first place.

[Edited on June 12, 2012 at 9:01 PM. Reason : df]

6/12/2012 9:00:13 PM

Not gonna lie, if you havent touched the shoes or linkages (other than the adjustment linkages ) then I have no idea why the drum would interfere with the shoes. Unless the shaft(s) aren't all the way in and the drums are bottoming out on the hub, but you'd be able to see that. When I did mine they looked the same but I had mine marked to match the original side it came off.

6/12/2012 10:37:58 PM

Dumb question, you don't have the parking brake on, do you?

6/13/2012 5:46:26 PM

he's only said he doesnt twice already..

6/13/2012 6:48:11 PM