I am very frustrated. I cannot get the shoes to move inward. The adjuster wheel only seems to move in the expanding direction. So, of course, the shoes are pressing too far against the drum. What am I doing wrong??

Mike

The adjuster lever has a detent pawl on it to prevent the wheel from unwinding and moving the shoes away from the drum.

The FSM says: -

...Remove the clevis pin from the wheel cylinder lever and disconnect the hand brake cable.

...Remove the brake drum adjust hole plug and remove the adjust lever from the adjust wheel with a screwdriver [disengages the detent pawl].

...Turn the adjust wheel downward with a screwdriver to loosen the brake shoe and remove the brake drum.

Additionally, the drum may be siezed on to the cast iron hub but that is another story:surprised

Here is an extract from the FSM which should help explain the dilemma you have: -

Thanks all. So once the detent pawl is disengaged, the toothed wheel is then free to move, correct? And, I do this through the small round hole in the drum? I think I've got it.

Mike