So I went out to the garage and found the bag of old parts from when they did the drums. I ALWAYS keep old parts, I dont know why, just for comarisons sake I guess, but this time it worked out. The old LEFT side adjustment hardware is in the bag for the new RIGHT side parts, and the old RIGHT side adjustment hardware is in the bag for the new LEFT side parts. To confirm parts as the adjusters are nearly identicle, I spun them in my hand and sure enough they are spinning the same as the ones in the car, the WRONG way, therefore the tech must have overlook the R and L at the end of the part numbers on the bags. . Should I just let sleeping dogs lie and just swap the sides myself? Should I risk it and hold the shop responsible? Although it is a minor thing, my dad seemed somewhat upset when talking about it, as he said that the adjusters since they are on backwards could be backing the shoes off instead of keeping them tight, which could lead to sudden brake failure. This scares me since I have my son in this car nearly every day. Luckily as we all know the adjusters hardly work in this car, and I really havent felt any change in brake feel since having the rear hardware replaced. Ugh. Anyway, to ease my mind, the adjusters (at least in the TOP picture) are servicable without removing any other hardware, correct? Just the adjuster, spring, and adjustment lever?

 

They did something wrong, they should both adjust in the same direction. if they don't then one would be loosening while the other is tightening.

And now I don't trust Mitchell on drum brakes, they got the adjusters backwards.

 

Wait, who or what is Mitchell?

 

Mitchell OnDemand, the "book".

I will check AllData in a while,but they are usually identical.

Anyway the adjuster lever should be attached to the rear (trailing) shoe. The lever acts as a lock to prevent the star loosening.

As the shoe is dragged down it pulls the lever up to tighten the star.

Meaning that to manually adjust you would push the star down by pulling the tool toward you. If you wanted to loosen with the drum on you would push something in the hole to hold the lever off of the star then push the tool away.

 

oh okay. According to the drum adjusting thread, both adjusters should tighten the shoes when rotated downward if you are standing at the rear of the car looking forward. So the drivers side should be turned clockwise for tightening and the passenger side counter clockwise. This is the correct way right?

 

While looking at the car from the rear of course.

 

What I got out of that thread is you stick the tool(spoon, screwdriver) in the slot and push the handle of the tool up, same both sides. Tighten it 'up'. So yes you are right arad.

donbrew, I don't understand 'pull the tool towards you' or 'push it away'

 

I think he means if you are under the car behind the drum with a tool in the access hole you would be pushing the tool away this turning The Star wheel down and tightening. So with mine being backwards tightening is opposite. I'm going to fix it but is there any real risk with them being on the wrong side? Will they actually loosen themselves up over time rather than tighten if installed in the wrong sides? FYI, the orientation of the adjustment lever and star wheel in mine are correct, just the direction that The Star wheel spins is incorrect.

 

I sit on the floor with my arms on each side of the drum, with the drum in my chest. Insert the bottom of the "L" into the slot. Pull the leg of the "L" toward my chest. The result is pushing a tab on the star down (looking at the back). Or, whichever direction is possible, since the adjuster locks the star so that it cannot be easily loosened.

My 2011 had the other type, which adjusted by pushing the leg away from me.

I suggest using the flat type spoon versus the "bent screwdriver" type.

 

I would guess that the locking lever is preventing the star wheel from turning in the direction that will tighten the drums. I would either take the drum off and check , or bring it back to the shop and let them demonstrate to you how it functions in this configuration.