i got 186k on factory drums, only replaced shoes and harware kit its all about the front brakes remember 70% front brakes 30% rear, if your shuttering you need to find out when you shutter, is it only at a stop? at what speeds? you always want to make sure we are chasing the correct problem as more detail helps some of us give you better answers. make sure nothing is glazed over or warped before proceeding as well.....

 

You can also tell if its coming from the front or rear brakes to.
If you hold the E-brake release out and slowly apply the parking brake, If it starts to shudder, its the rear for sure.
Just MAKE SURE you hold the RELEASE HANDLE OUT, and Apply them SLOWLY.
I was told Highway speeds are also best when doing it, So they wont lockup as easy.

Ive done it, and found my problems are the rear, Mind you it only has 30% of the shoes left when I bought it a year ago, I had the drums machined made it worse (Didnt get new shoes)

 

How do you back off on the rear shoes?? Am used to old school stuff, where you go in thru the access hole and back off on the star adjuster...My 06 only has 2 rubber access plugs, on 1 can see the brake shoe it looks like, the other at the top where the wheel cylinder is all I can see is a pin, or the end of a spring...Have almost 94k on the truck, thinking its time to put pads and shoes on it

 

It should be there. Pull the drum off and see. If you think its time, you should actually pull the drum off and see if you need new shoes.

 

Got the drum off and yes its time for new shoes...however found something interesting when pulled off shoes...One of the shoe retaining pins was gone, not sure how the brake shoe stayed in placed but it did....Those pins are hard to find, called two auto parts places and neither has the kit they come in....Any ideas on a quick replacement, no way other than walking 5 miles to an auto parts house

 

You mean the pins and spring/washer thing that holds the shoe against the backing plate? Those should be available as a "brake hardware kit" which contains new springs, pins, etc for replacing all the various springs and such. What year is your truck?

Like this:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...3401_311094_0_

 

Yep, had to go to Advance to get the hardware kit, none of the Autozone stores here had in stock...Got new problem, is there a special tool to get the star adjuster to back up? Whoever designed the access hole in the backing plate needs a new head!! The e-brake cable is right behind the access hole making it almost impossible to see anything in the hole let alone get a screwdriver or something in there to hold the adjuster back off the star adjuster..I knew I hated Dodge for a reason!! LOL

 

remove the drum and back of the adjuster. Put the drum back in place then adjust as usual.

 

lol, your a member of the wrong forum then ....There is really no reason to hate an entire line of automobiles just because you disagree with a design flaw on one model. Every manufacturer has some bone headed engineer design something the someone does not like.

Take the drum off, turn the adjuster until the drum will slide back on with just a little effort. Drive the truck in reverse and apply the brakes a couple of times. They will self adjust.

 

This worked great for me! No hammerering, no heat.