Hey guys, I replaced a parking brake on my 1997 LS.
Now that I got everything back in place, my rotor will not fit over the shoes. :|
The adjuster is screwed all the way shut and the parking brake is off. I don't know what else I could do cause info is hard to find.
What might be my problem?

 

Are you sure you have the right pads???

 

Are you sure you have everything installed correctly?
If the adjuster is all the way back, you have the right parts then there is likely something caught and keeping the shoes out or you have them installed wrong.

There is a fore and aft pad, often with different thicknesses and shapes... If you put the two aft pads on, they often won't fit under the rotors/drums.

Post pics, hard to figure out problems blind.

 

^Agree, need pics. The shoes are the same size front/rear so that won't matter, likely an adjustment problem or sticky cable, why did you change them?

 

I changed them because the ones on their we're completely worn through. The shoes wouldn't hold the rotor.
I will get pics when I get up tomorrow (later today actually) if I have time before work.
Thanks guys!

 

Got some pics, let me know if they help or if others are needed
Sorry everything blends cause it's dirty, it's far below freezing outside or I would have cleaned everything up

 

Wouldn't let me upload them all to one post

 

This shows the adjuster

 

Any suggestions guys? I have tomorrow off work, so I'll be trying to finish it up.

 

Is the balance bar in its slots and are the shoes situated tight to the pivot pin?

 

Are you sure that you have the right parts. The reason i ask is because you seemed a little confused in your original thread.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...placement.html

 

I am not sure what the pivot pin is. Sorry, I am quite naive.
But I am guessing that the balance bar is the bar, with a spring on one side, separating the shoes at the top? If so- that was my issue. I guess when I connected the shoe to the lever, it wasn't flush completely so the lever was sticking out a miniscule bit and when I put the bar in between the shoes it got caught on the lever and kept them from coming together fully

 

Make sure that the adjuster and actuator bar have both ends fully seated on the shoe, often this requires filing rust off them since the new shoes are painted and won't let them fully seat. Also, your lower spring doesn't look like its connected properly, tough to tell by the pics though, could be wrong.
As a side note, if you don't know what you're doing when it comes to brakes-best to pay a pro to do it properly, your safety and the safety of others is on the line.

 

Check all the above but also with the shoes being new if there is a wear lip on the edge of the drum section it may be the problem.

 

My issue was the strut at the top that sits b/w the shoes.
Also this is just my parking brake. I would never service it myself if it was my main brake function. Aside from the safety of myself and other motorists- I have a daughter, so I'd NEVER risk that!

And Steve- I am installing new rotors so wear was no issue.


Thank you to everyone for all your inputs!
Glad to have got this solved, and to have sucessfully completed my first drum brake shoe replacement
Now onto the other side!