I'm getting ready to do the rear shoes on my '94 XJ. The manual says if the rear drums won't come off (they won't) I should remove the plug on the back and turn the adjusting wheel to manually move the shoes away from the drum surface. So....Which way do I turn it? Up or down? Or can it just go one way? Thanks.

 

a mallet is your best friend and if im not mistaken you would turn it up from behind it

 

I think turning them down is loosing them... but you'll be able to tell if when you turn them one way and the drum tightens up you'll want to go the other way.

 

It won't hurt it to turn the wrong way, you can feel it if it's going the wrong way

 

+1, just don't strike a stud.

 

You may need to use a small screwdriver to push up on the adjusting lever while you are turning wheel

 

this. you will need to push the adjusting lever out then turn the wheel.
to figure out which way to turn it, if it clicks its tightening. you dont need to push the adjusting lever out when tightening though, only when untightening.

 

I just drilled out the pins that hold the brakes together then sanded down the ridge around the drum. If your replacing the shoes, replaces all the hardware and self adjuster

 

If the drums are stuck to the axle - (they should be loose) - opening up the starwheel adjuster won't help. You'll just have to PB Blaster them and beat them until they loosen up from the axle. If they are loose but won't come off because they are dragging on the shoes, then loosening the starwheel will let the shoes collapse and help with the removal.

Full description of a rear brake change on an 8.25 can be found here:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/ho...-8-25-a-58947/

 

The question isn't dumb, but some of the answers are dumb.

 

all most every post has a bunch of stupid azz replies.