Did many brake jobs in my time but I'm stumped on this....Replaced EVERYTHING new on the rear brakes of my 1988 XJ...New wheel cylinders, all hardware. steel lines lines.....However the front shoe will not seat properly like theres pressure on the wheel cylinder holding it up? I can force it with a screw driver to seat but retracts when released....I took it all apart & reassembled to no avail, The other side is perfect ????... Hoping the pics can explain......

 

You opened the bleeder on the wheel cylinder and there's still "pressure" on it keeping it from retracting?

 

I'm thinking open the bleeder too. If that doesn't do it, it also looks like the aft brake shoe may not be fitting into the fork of the aft wheel cylinder link.

 

You can also loosen the parking brake adjustment and see if that helps /

 

Just trying to gather some thoughts...First of all, there is no fluid in the lines... & I just don't see anything bent, unless the wheel cylinder is defective, but I was able to move the pistons???

 

You know the parking brake will hold the the top of the brake shoes a part . it looks like you put in new parts so you need to readjust the parking brake cable to the new parts .

 

I'll never dispute a suggestion or recommendation....The parking brake adjustment makes perfect sense, seeing that fluid pressure is ruled out.....I'll check that out tomorrow.....& reply....Thanks !!!

 

E brake cables seem to be ok, not froze up, but really show their signs of 34 years, will replace both for good measure.....

 

Your problem is perplexing. If you pull the wheel cylinder link from between the front side of the wheel cylinder and the front shoe, it will collapse as expected? It would be good to rule out the parking brake strut (orange) by doing that. There is a spring between the pistons inside the wheel cylinder. It might be worth making sure both sides are moving easily. Maybe a little brake fluid would lubricate the seals a little.

 

Although the e brake cables are not frozen, there could be resistance inside preventing the cable to move freely, restricting the travel, their hard & dry & no real way to lubricate them...The wheel cylinder is brand new, & the pins move freely...Where I'm stumped is, it takes a fair amount of effort to force the shoe against the pin with a screwdriver & when the screwdriver is removed the shoe will jump back from the pin....... I disassembled everything & removed the e brake cables awaiting the new replacements....

 

If you feel motivated you could pull out the parking brake strut and see if it will collapse to the stops.

 

Looks like the issue I was having where the hold down pin springs were pulling the shoe outside of where it's supposed to ride (highlighted in red). Some persuasion with a rubber mallet got everything lined up.

 

Problem solved....New e brake cables arrived, installed, now shoes seat properly....The old cables were not frozen & I was able to pull the cable through the jacket, but really felt resistance.....As I said, they were nasty after 34 years of NY winters...Sometimes when a part seems to be OK.......it isn't....Thanks for the tips !!!