Drum Brakes/E Brake question
 

That bar that hooks to the E brake cable/actuator (the one that is on top and goes between both shoes and also hooks to the Ebrake bracket) is loose and the new spring is doing nothing but the E brake works just fine and the brakes work.
Ive found posts stating that the hump in the bar faces up. Is that right?

Yes, hump faces up.

Front of the vehicle is on the left side of the image..

Attachment 275139

Thanks for the pic.
Thats just how I installed mine but that bar is loose and the spring on it is loose and wobbling around but like I posted before, brakes and E brake work ok.
I will be doing the other side next weekend, Ill see if I can get that bar and spring tightened up somehow.

Thanks.

You probably reversed the bar and that is why it is loose. The side that holds the spring has a neck that holds/tightens the spring and will not let it ride up the body of the bar. The other side does not and would allow it to expand.

Attachment 275140

Thats how I have it. The spring is on the bar opposite the Ebrake bracket and is not tight at all.
When I do the other side I am going to see if the one that is there now is tight.
Thanks.

Well something is not right then. If I remember correctly, the spring also has a correct way to be installed, with the narrow side up against the wider neck of the brake bar to jam up against. Or maybe they gave you the wrong spring?

I had a fitment problem a couple days ago (bit it was too tight instead of too loose), only to realize my ebrake was slighly engaged. Once I removed it all was back to normal.

I bought a master kit and made sure it was the correct one. All the other parts fit fine.... Errr..... Except the damn springs were so tight I could barely get them on without smashing my knuckles a bunch of times......:w00t:
The spring is not under tension at all, even if I flipped it around. I can grab it with my fingers and slide it back and forth about half an inch.
I just thought of something, I only did one side could it be that the other side is under alot of tension and when I do it this side will tighten/even up?

Can you actually get the brake drum back on right now? If no then you need to punch the brake shoes together with a block of wood or something and that will tighten it up. If worse comes to worse you could use a washer behind it to make the spring act longer.

Yea, I turned the star adjuster all the way in and the drum was able to just slide on without hitting the shoes.

If the bar won't fall out I can't see how you would even need to worry about it? All it does it prevent the wheel cylinders from pushing in farther but why would that happen? Maybe someone who knows more about it can verify this.