I’m baffled right now. Doing rear drums. 10”. Both sides have parking brake arms. Both sides also don’t have the shoe separating forks. Is this normal?

this is me finishing this side:

 

Thats the parking brake link. Buy some. Dont forget the springs on the end.

 

why the hell would both sides not have them? I have the hardware kit so I have springs but no links.

Do I actually NEED the links if I don’t use the parking brake? Or can I get away without?

 

I do not recommend disabling the emergency brake, it might even be illegal to do so on a street legal driven vehicle, but the big concern is the safety aspect. Get the missing parts, install them, adjust the emergency brake properly. If you dont set that brake when parked, and vehicle rolls away, someone can be killed. The brake is also useful if the main brakes fail. My main brakes failed when I was a kid, master cylinder blew while braking for a traffic light, the thing that saved my car and me from a crash was the emergency brake

 

Ive never used a parking brake ever in Michigan, other than on a manual car I had. I live and drive and park on flat land. The e brake cable I doubt even moves and it’s an automatic. I do not want to put everything back together, go drive on a scavenge hunt (parts places near me don’t have much for these 99’s with 10” drums) and come home to take it all apart (if the forks are available) just to put them on if I don’t need them for normal brake operation.

Front brakes are new as well.

 

Well the car stopped before well, right? I assume the rear brakes worked then, so that kind of answers it. If the brakes worked badly before, you only having front brakes that worked, then you may well need that piece.
Now examining the photo you provided, it appears that piece will not be needed for the main brakes to work, that is what I see, the main brakes do not need that piece. The cylinder expands, and pivots the shoes outward, pivoting from the shoes contact with the adjuster, that missing piece has no role in that operation near as I can tell.

 

p.s. In over three decades of driving, only lost my main brakes once, and that once I had a working hand brake.

 

Watched the hook trying to lift a Passat up a cliff. It was an auto and the guy parked it in his driveway above the cliff. That parking pawl in that auto didn't work so well that one time. Car totaled. He still owed years on it and had to fight his insurance to pay out because he didn't park it correctly. It does say use the parking brake when parking on a hill.

Also, have personally used the parking brake in a partial mains failure. Had a shoe hang up and heat the brake to the point that fade left about 10% of normal braking ability. Not a problem since I had the car well maintained, including the parking brake.

 

its normally checked on state safety inspections, also. maybe it works without it? i have no idea how but his ebay or the junkyard and get some more. maybe even autozone has them?

 

michigan doesn’t have state safety inspections. Also I tried multiple auto parts stores and they don’t have any for 10” drums.