My rear drum brakes are imbalanced by 40% what can i do to troubleshoot?

Shoes....not pads....else we are no longer talking about the back brakes~

Thank you for the quick response! does this need to be cleaned or just flat out replaced?

I apologize im not too car savvy this is like building a spaceship to me

My tires were recently balanced when i had them put on a month ago, the wear on the shoes is full on one and just looks like barely hitting a small surface area on the other.

Thank you Tom, I had the mechanic install the items I just watched! only maintenance i did was bleed the brakes again and looking to see if the shoes are correctly distanced.

did not mean to come off as bein' a JERK...little crabby this morning~please excuse....this is why we cannot have children....I'd kill them~!

No problem roy i got tough skin plus, i'd rather have a crabby answer than no answer at all haha!

Merry Christmas to you too Roy. If you have wear on one shoe and not the other, are they adjusted? Not mentally, but physically? The break drums need to be adjusted when put in. Why are you saying 40%. Sanding the low spots? No, No, No! Have them turned professionally and if you are confused about building a space ship, spend the bucks and take it to a rocket scientist to have the breaks done professionally. Cheaper than the cost of insurance rates rising after the accident.

Califcarson....every day I wake up....and there is no snow....and the sunshine is warming the scene.....for the last seven years up here in Clearlake (the poorest place) in California~ but no streetlights means a beautiful nightly star and moon that no one can put a price on....they don't have that in Milwaukee~ Merry religious holiday to you too...most "christians" are the ones who are rude to you with their bumperstickers imposing GOD's will on ya~ they are the ones who Nailed that F&@39 to the cross in the first place...now they're celebratin'....am reminded of the enforced "pray" period in some establishments~

Judge-Roy, may Santa bring you an oil change and God keep your battery charged. In 1966 I was at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego in the middle of December. I was sitting on a bucket polishing mt shoes and brass when mail call came. My dad sent a letter explaining why they had not sent letters sooner. They had three blizzards on the farm and couldn't get to town for three weeks. I looked around at the palm trees in 70 degree weather and said, "I've died and gone to heaven." Working a mid-western farm in the winter looses your appreciation for snow. I remember 40 below weather and hand milking 35 head of cows and gathering eggs from 110 laying chickens, and having 30 sows give birth to a bunch of little piglets. Yes I enjoy the weather here, and have no problem with people saying, Merry CHRISTmas. Have a happy holiday Judge-Roy and to all others that see this post. A warm and contented John. PS I'm taking my Corvette out for a spin today.

lol....semper fi?...I think were a little off topic now! If my drums are not "round" I should get them turned? i googled it seems like a good thing to try out also thanks! P.S. im Jewish :P

Califcarson....glad that life has been beautiful for you in our beautiful state having not even paper-boy money found a plethora of fifty dollar "sun-floor" rust beauties available...all the time....there were mountains of SALT for the roads and for eatin' up your choice ride~ so you had to take care of all of those little guys~ drive safely...YOU have the power...quite literally.....is that ole Cragar wheels I see on that...you and I are both time capsules~ God be with you (whoever that is)~...not like I'm in any kind of position to decide for the "all-mighty"~what on earth are these auto-makers thinkin' these days...okay...sealed like a space bubble, so no need for wing windows anymore....we don't want kids riding the running boards...so we can't have those.....of course the rumble seat forces one to smell exhaust the whole way (like a monterey's motorized rear-window)....but is a keen design...where are the "keen" designs the last thirty years? why are they so bent on "aerodynamic" shaped....the thing will most likely be in a traffic jam anyways~ gimme some beauty~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oizl5KF0e2E

Drums are hella-cheap hunks of iron....just get a freshie~ http://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts/DC/18305-05052526.html? utm_source=google&utm_medium=ff&utm_content=DN&utm_campaign= PartsGeek+Google+Base&utm_term=2005- 2008+Chevrolet+Cobalt+Brake+Drum+Pronto+BD80109+Rear+05- 08+Chevrolet+Brake+Drum+2007+2006&fp=pp&gbm=a&gclid=CISTkc_ CybsCFa9cMgodpXEA2Q

li---21 buck$~

10-4, but I literally bought brand new ones? should i get them turned or just flat out buy new, new ones?

Jon Stewart is also Jewish....and a kindred spirit as well~

My predicament is i spent so much time sending my car to shops / ordering parts from the states (takes up to 2 weeks) that i now no longer have license plates for my car, i cant drive it. To get temp plates costs me 30 euro and i only get them for one day at a time now....i really want a 1 day fix for my 1 day plates i have to get.

you have to remove the wax or cosmoline with a little solvent...they are good to go....right out of the chute~

thanks roy

different states have ridiculous rituals....in Milwaukee, you could park your car on the street EVEN days on the even side of the street and ODD days on the odd numbered side of the street....guess this was to stop derelict cars from stayin' where they are~ in PA, we had to have the "sticker" in the car on the dashboard what gave their sniff of approval for your car....aggressive inspections in that state~

Nope stationed in Ramstein, Germany euro to dollar is .72 now.

Had a Mercedes 230S with a cavernous trunk...chrome everywhere and wartime FINS~ giant steering wheel and the Kuhlmeister~ if you could get a Mercedes....they use good materials~ cannot speak for the cobalt tho, they are cute too~ we can shop for some source closer to you~ or what uses DHL worldwide~

Also be very careful about online mechanical advice. When someone suggests you might be getting differential fluid on your rear brakes from a front wheel car, that is a clue that you need to be careful.

haha no euro is the european currency :P i have to pass german inspection its tough!

well i believe there might be a clog in a line somewhere or drums should be turned well see...

honestly i think if i hit the brakes driving backwards enough it will shape the shoes to my drums and ill finally be over with this :(

I've only heard of collapsed brake lines, but never actually seen one~ couple 0' minutes with the brake lathe (if so equipped) would save a ration of shipping charges....Like Carson asserted there is a star wheel adjuster that must be adjusted just so...parking brake applied, and check the free movement of the parking brake cable and links....as these will rust-up and become inoperative and have had the expression "I've NEVER used that" out of MANY people....thinkin' that if they used it once it'd get stuck on....it's these people we've got to show how you can save your transmission if you'd get the left foot busy, when you park~

Judge-Roy, those are the original 200S American Aluminum rims. To mandelbaum, I have cousins and nephews that are Jewish. They are very great people, drive cars and at times even have car problems. To you, happy holidays. Hope we beat this horse to death and you could read between the lines to be able to get the rear brakes fixed. New drums should not need turning, but new installed shoes need adjusting. It may be a proportioning valve. With the car on jacks so the rear tires are off the ground and the front tires BLOCKED, the rear tires when the transmission is in neutral, the tires should turn. If you feel any hang-ups, then the drums may be the issue. The star nut is what you use to loosen or tighten down the shoes to the drums for proper adjustment. Tighten it until the wheel seizes then back off the nut just until they turn free. That should do it for adjustments. Semper - Fi.

but Carson (my newly acquired dear friend) can you place these into his hands in Ramstein Germany/? that's why the brake lathe may save a bit on shipping~oooooo, I want to drive the autobahn...fun fun fun of the autobahn~

Flight leaves at 04:30 out of LAX.

You'll have no trouble here....[jedi]~

Sacramento is closer....less traffic than the Bay Area which is wrought with daily occurrences~ both are around 2 1/2 hours from Clearlake...Sacremento is a prettier drive up HWY 20~

saw the "smart" roadster on Top Gear....man I want one of those now....motor like 600CC...makes the MINI cooper look like a GIANT~.....with it's 1.6 liter R50 engine~

Wow thank you everyone the answers are very helpful and came in fast at that! I have some ammo for the repair shop and not just at their mercy!

P.S. the autobahn IS fun and will be dearly missed when i leave.