Drumbrake question (1969 Chrysler)

Stargazer · Nov 2, 2025

Ok, I'm doing the rear brakes for the first time. My question is about the bottom spring. The lower springs on my car are attached to the "adjusting lever" (see pictures).
Is that ok? It seems like it worked fine. The service manual and online videos however, seem to show this spring attached to the left and right brakeshoe.
They also show different adjusting levers and adjusting cables.

I put things back together like it was, with new parts. Adjuster "adjusts" easily. But is this the proper way?

CBODY67 · Nov 2, 2025

Unless you are looking at Chrysler=specific videos for cars back then. They can be "just videos". Have you looked in the Chrysler MasterTech videos at www.My Mopar.com ?

The basic brake shoes are retained to the backing plate with the two pins and springs in the middle of the shoes. As thin as they are, they are not designed to be "pivots" as such, though. The adjuster is the lower pivot of sorts, but there has to be something to keep the botttom of the shoes "together", which is probably the orientation of that smaller diameter spring behind the larger diameter spring that attaches to the adjuster lever. Similar in concept tot the two larger springs at the top of the shoes, to retract the shoes when the brake pressure is released by the brake pedal. That's the way it seems to me.

Just some suspicions,
CBODY67

Vaanth · Nov 2, 2025

Stargazer said:
Ok, I'm doing the rear brakes for the first time. My question is about the bottom spring. The lower springs on my car are attached to the "adjusting lever" (see pictures).
Is that ok? It seems like it worked fine. The service manual and online videos however, seem to show this spring attached to the left and right brakeshoe.
They also show different adjusting levers and adjusting cables.

I put things back together like it was, with new parts. Adjuster "adjusts" easily. But is this the proper way?

View attachment 741226

View attachment 741227

View attachment 741228

The pictured new installation is arranged correctly. However, the return spring for the adjustment lever, green in the picture, is not the correct spring, nor in the correct hole on the shoe. Note the original lever return spring is heavier, shorter, and installed in a lower hole. The original spring and hole location yields a steeper angle for a better lever return to turn the adjuster wheel. This spring also pull the lower part of the shoes inward. The heavier, stronger spring adds to the return action. It might work okay, but if a new spring like the originals is not available, re-using the old springs if still good is advisable.

The following image shows a diagram with the spring layout:

The adjuster design changed in 1969 to a different style. Operation is reversed, but the end result is the same, although possible over adjustment is less. The following image from the 1969 Service Highlights shows the two styles compared. Some 1969 models may have the older style like you have.

The green spring on your lever looks like the one used on the newer style adjuster design for some drum brakes, usually 10". Other drum brakes with the newer style adjuster design have a horizontal spring between the shoes, usually 11". The 1969 service manual is showing the newer style which was introduced for 1969 models. A 1968 or earlier back a few years will show the other style. The online sites are just showing the, now more common, newer design adjuster.

The following image shows the newer design with the differing cable and adjustment direction, plus the horizontal shoe return spring. This is on my 1970 Challenger.