My driver's side wheel cylinder was leaking like a sieve, so I bought a new one to replace it. Installed the new one, no big deal, probably max 30 minutes into the whole thing. Then I forgot how everything went back together, took about a half an hour to figure that out. 3 hours later I still cannot get it back together. I've dropped the shoes about a hundred times, bunged everything up, can't do it. Either I'm doing something wrong, or this is nearly impossible.

Procedure I've followed:
- attached the rear shoe to the e-brake cable.
- installed the retainer pin onto the rear shoe.
- place the adjusting rod in there (it's constantly falling)
- install front shoe with the lever and spring and the upper retaining spring attached.
- give up

All I have to do is get the upper and lower retaining springs on, but I physically can't stretch them that far. Event getting out some pliers, the stupid spring snaps out of them. Push one shoe, and the opposite piston comes out of the cylinder pushing the other shoe away. I tried dozens of different ways and cannot figure it out. Surely this cannot be that difficult. What am I doing wrong, surely there's a "trick" or something to get these installed.

So much for driving the car this weekend, no idea what I'm going to do, I've tried everything. Thanks in advance.

 

If you have not already done so, screw the adjuster threads all the way in( shorten it) it minimizes the distance you have to stretch the spring. Hold the one shoe with your hand while pulling the spring from the other shoe to the slot in the one you're holding. Grease the threads on the adjuster if you haven't. Are you replacing brake shoes if they were contaminated with brake fluid? When you get everything together,you can adjust the brakes as a last step.

 

I use a screwdriver as a lever to get the spring end into the brake pad. Put the screwdriver in
the hole and then put the spring end over the screwdriver and basically slide it down until its
near the hole then tip the screwdriver up vertical to the hole and get the spring end in there.
Sometimes requires some needle nose pliers to "help" the spring along the screw driver and also
to keep soft flesh pretected should it cut loose.

It is a trick and its why a lot of folks don't want to do brakes. Image having 4 wheels to do
and not just 2, plus not having automatic asjusters. This is why there were mechanics
because normal folks didn't want to fool with this stuff.

Then along came auto adjusters and then ultimately disc brakes. Brakes these days are so
easy anyone can do them. It takes a special kind of masochist to do old school drum brakes.

Oh and only do one side at a time so if you forget you can look at the other side and see it in reverse.

I hope you are replacing the passenger side as well? It will start leaking soon too.

 

Yep, screwdriver trick works using leverage. I prefer a Philips head so that the spring slides off the tip more easily. My preferred screwdriver had a slight arc to it after so many brake operations.

 

Okay, my post was probably a little premature. I got my father to help me with the springs, he was able to do it using the method t_g_farrell described below.

I want to hear if this sounds normal. After getting all the springs in, I tried to put the drum back on. I realized the shoes were way to far out to do that. So I spun the adjuster with a screw driver the opposite of the way it would normally go, until I could put the drum on. There was a loud click each time I moved the adjuster. When I put the drum back on, it seemed too loose. I spun the adjuster the other way and tightened it up a little bit. This seemed better to me. The adjuster was easier to turn and the click was less pronounced. Put the drum back on and spun it a few times. I heard what sounded like a tap tap tap, I hope nothing is hitting anything. I don't think it is, but maybe? Any ideas? Put the wheel back and now I'm done. I haven't driven the car yet, but I might tonight and hopefully I can diagnose if anything is wrong.

The brake cylinder had been leaking for probably less than 1,000 miles so I decided to keep the shoes that were in there. They looked okay (not that I know what I'm looking for), and I cleaned them off (and everything else) and reinstalled.

I had to get my father to help me. I had everything right (I think), it just actually is that difficult to get them in. My goal when I bought this car was to do 100% of the maintenance, so I'm learning a lot, and learning fast. The technique that you described was precisely what he did. Could I do it by myself in the future, I hope so. I'm not that strong, but maybe I could get it.