I've looked far and wide for the last 72 hours trying to figure out what the problem is. Previous owner put on new drums and shoes. Handbrake barely engages and rear brakes don't engage with pedal. I have adjusted them and they seem to engage until I torque the rear wheels on, then all of a sudden my brakes feel like they are engaged when they aren't, so I have to back it off all the way so that it doesn't scrape while driving. I bought 2.00" brake shoes thinking it would be thinner maybe, but they were wider than my current shoes. I think it is rubbing on the outside of the drum, rather than the desired contact patch. anyone who has a quick fix or an idea is welcome, but mostly I am looking for replacement drums for 2 inch brake shoes that won't cost me a paycheck(im 17). I'm writing this in class so it is all over the place so if you have clearifying questions please ask i just need to fix this in the next 3 weeks

**for a 1991 pontiac firebird 305 TBI**

 

Pretty sure this is your problem right here.

There's more differences among brake shoes than just their width. The various holes for the hardware are all in different places for example. No wonder you can't get some random shoes for some random other vehicle to work on your car.

The shoes that actually FIT your car are some SUPER common part #; sorry, can't recall it off the top of my head. Pretty sure they're not that wide. No problem though, the geniuses behind the counter can look up the right ones eeeezzzzy enough. Cheeeeeeeeeeeep too. Fit LOTS of vehicles; S trucks, A & G bodies, etc. Everybody will have em in stock.

How about, just get the right shoes, use the drums you've got, and be done with it. Just put em on, adjust em up as far as you can and still get the drums on over em, and drive it.

The poor-mouth crap won't make the wrong parts fit. Don't bother beating us over the head about that. Parts cost what they cost, and complaining about all that won't get your car one damn bit closer to working. Ya just gotta do what ya gotta do, no matter all the rest of that crap.

 

I hear ya but I am not looking for any performance stopping power, just oe replacement. and I bought shoes that summit said would fit, the holes lined up and everything, the pads were just not making contact. Ill just go into oreillys and see what they got. thanks for the advice man

 

The next time you have the drums off, take pictures and attach them here. Are both wheels dragging?

 

Agree that it sounds like you may have incorrect shoes. Local parts store should have a set of shoes in stock. Nothing special needed, just normal shoes for the correct application. After you get the shoes and hardware on, turn the adjuster so that the shoes very lightly drag as you are installing the drum and that's it. They will self adjust from there as you use them and you'll be good.

Go ahead and post a photo of the assembled shoes/hardware without the drum on and we can take a look and check the installation.