So I am rebuilding an 84 xcab 4x4 and just did the rear brakes. New drums, new shoes, the works so when i put the tire back on it will not spin at all. The self adjuster is turned all the way in yet the shoes still touch the drum so what am i missing here?????

 

Won't spin at all? did you have to beat the drum back on or what?
If the brake drum slipped on easily the brakes are not dragging, something else is hanging up.
Did you apply the hand brake after assembling the rear brakes? maybe the cable is bound up and not releasing.

 

What he said ^^ cable/levers stick sometimes. Also, a good calibrated whack or two on the shoes helped when I redid the drums on my 85

 

I didnt have to really beat them on slipped on pretty easy in fact. I did try the hand brake and its pretty difficult to pull. I will check the cable too.

 

From what I recall, the shoes do almost touch, or, at first, touch just a tiny bit on their mating surface. Especially new ones.

May I ask what may be a really dumb question, about the tires not turning? I mean no insult at all, but I did this when I did the drum brakes on my 4Runner.
Could you have left the truck in gear maybe, when you went to spin the tires? I know, it would take a real dummy, to quote Archy Bunker, do do that, but hey, I did it...

Also, instead of having the tires/wheels on when you go to test it, you can see if it spins properly without them, yes? Just grab a lug bolt and give it a spin. It may permit you to see what might be dragging, and why. If the drum slid on without having to beat on it, the shoes might be touching, but they're probably not dragging, yes?

Are you sure you turned the adjustment screw all the way "loose" , not "tight"? I did it the wrong way myself the first drum brake I replaced. I had to read the book about 5 times before I figured it out myself.

I'm not a mechanic, I am really not. I make mistakes like crazy, but generally, I do try to learn from them.

Finally, I agree completely with the parking brake cable questions above. That cable can stick "on" pretty easily. A few shots of WD40 can make sure it's free pretty quick. Rust can build up in it's moving parts easily, but if you lube them up somehow, and work them a few (dozen ) times, it'll clean it's self out. You can actually see the oil getting rustier and rustier. I kept squirting in the WD40 in until it stayed clean when I was working the brake handle.
Like the saying goes, if it should move, but it doesn't, WD40. If it shouldn't move, but it does, duct tape

Ok. I shut up now. Just trying to think, hard enough for me at the best of times, of any possible things it could be...
Pat☺