Parking brake inspection failure

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The Struggle

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Went to my inspection station and failed my inspection due to the parking brake not working. Hooked up the wire and still doesn't work. I proceeded to rebuild the entire drum brake system, bearings and seals. All except the wheel cylinders. Bled the system and bench bled a new master cylinder. Pedal is tight and doesn't give in. This is on a GM 14 bolt by the way with a vacumm brake booster. I then adjusted the drums to barely slide on the pads and turned the adjustment wheel a few more teeth with a screwdriver afterwards.

Took it for a drive...all good. Came back and pressed down on the e-brake and the truck didn't move. Great!, let the brake loose rolled forward an inch and did it again (in drive not reverse) and the truck starts to move slightly forward. I pressed the pedal to the floor and felt the wire tightening up more and had to really step on it to get it to the bottom.. Any gas and the truck would be rolling. I went back to adjust the wire and it's very tight when engaged, VERY tight. The driver rear drum seems to snug up but just enough where I can't move it when turning the 35" tire by hand and holds slightly in drive. The passenger side will slightly move forward in gear and turn fairly freely when turned backwards by hand. Forwards is a bit slower by hand. The adjusting wheels on both drums feels as if they are fully turned out to which I cannot turn the screw any more on either side with out bending my screwdriver. Yeah I know, there's supposed to be a slight drag but this is what I've been dealt for right now.

The brake adjusting screws look to be only screwed out to right under a quarter of an inch from the initial bottom starting point. I put the truck on jack stands and put it in drive. The braking response from the pedal shows the driver side will stop earlier, and faster, than the passenger. With the passenger obviously needing more pedal response, about a 1.5" towards the floor more! I didn't go all the way to the floor in avoidance from blowing the MC rear seal.

I went back and bled the passenger side with no signs of bubbles or bad fluid, it's still just the same. The brakes are not leaking fluid and I installed everything as before. BTW the hoses and everything else are not swollen or damaged. Don't mind the springs attatched to the pad retaining springs in the pictures as that's to my surprise too and where not added back during the re-build. Everything else appears correct and was the guide to re-building the brakes back again.

I'm at a loss, did I miss anything on the brakes?
 

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1987 GMC Jimmy

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This happened recently:
http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17928&highlight=Parking+brake+inspection
 

The Struggle

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Thanks for the reply. I've actually read through that post while piddling with mine but my drums are brand new. I'll try setting the drums and make sure their seated correctly but I'm 90% sure they're spot on. Any ideas?
 

Georgeb

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Thanks for the reply. I've actually read through that post while piddling with mine but my drums are brand new. I'll try setting the drums and make sure their seated correctly but I'm 90% sure they're spot on. Any ideas?

I can't tell from your picks but are you sure your primary and secondary shoes are oriented correctly?
 

The Struggle

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If the large pad is suppose to be facing forward and small pad facing the rear then yes. I'll have to check this weekend on the passenger side though because I'm quite sure that may be my problem now that you mentioned that.
 

crpntr78

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As near as I can tell, you're missing the 2 springs on your crossover bar just below your wheel cylinder. Nothing to push the brakes back to neutral position.
 

highdesertrange

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no the small shoe goes on the front and the large shoe goes to the rear. you are also missing the spring on the crossover bar (white circle). what the hell are those 2 extra springs(black circle). also pinch your main springs so they are not so spread apart(yellow circle).

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highdesertranger
 

74 Shortbed

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Never seen those springs before??.:shrug:
 

HotRodPC

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Seems you're spending alot time on the hydros of the brakes. Nothing hydro is used for Park Brake. Concentrate on the hardware as in the springs, pad orientation and correct position. Make sure you park brake cables are even moving and not seized. Even though your cable is tightening up, maybe the cable coming off the back of the backing plate are seized. With the drums off, have someone get in the truck and push the park brake and watch what happens. Do it on both sides. It might be just one side that is moving and the other isn't.
 

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