New drums, shoes, and springs. 06, but I think they all are about the same.
Replaced these components and while I still need to fine tune the adjustment so the e-brake works better, there is an odd noise while stopping. It isn't a squeal or grind. It's like a scuff scuff scuff sound that slows down as the car slows. Brakes seem to work fine, they just make this noise. I got delco drums and springs, and wagner shoes. So, not cheap stuff. No noise while driving.
When I put them on, the drum would turn, but at a certain point, would slightly scuff. So, I am wondering if things are slightly misaligned, though everything looks good. Or if maybe 1 side is not tight enough and then when applying the brake it scuffs a bit?

 

Would suggest you remove that wheel, & drum & see where the scraping is. If it is the metal of the brake shoe scraping the drum, you have to correct this. Shoes must not be on to backing plate properly. .

Now properly adjusted they can have a very faint sprag when rotated, from brake lining hitting the drum on a hi-spot. & your E-Brake should only need to use 2-3 or 4 clicks to hold car on a slope.


There was a change in IIRC 2009 to the mounting hardware This is the 2008 set-up on mine.

 

There were 2 types of drum brakes on HHR. They may have sold you the second design, which is for later models.

But it kinda sounds like the shoes aren't centering. It's been a very long time since I worked on drum brakes, is there a point that needs lubrication?

 

RJ- Just the backing plate contact points, like usual.

 

New drums need to have the braking surface cleaned and/or scuffed up. They come with a protective coating that has to be removed from that braking surface before installation.

 

Well, everything is together right. What ai did notice was the top ears of the shoes can slide side to side in the cylinder ends.
I Lubed the ears of the shoes, and both springs at the ends. The large spring is seated properly.
I cleaned the drums with brake cleaner. The only non-new parts are the adjustment fork and it's lever, and the cylinder.

It acts like the drums are out of round, but I wouldn't think I got 2 crappy ac delco drums.
So, I am still on the shoes. The ebrake does not grab well till a few clicks, but when it did, the drums sizzled spit like crazy. crazy. I can still pull the ebrake and lock up the rear.

Brake feel is really nice other than this odd noise.

 

Do you mean that they move back and forth without moving the pistons? If so, you got the wrong shoes or cylinders. The should move the cylinders side to side.

If you mean both sides don't engage the slots then you might have the adjustment fork in the wrong position.
The e-brake is mechanical with no relation to the hydraulics.

 

How many clicks on the E brake , sitting still? Should only be 3 or 4

 

Ok, so on the blue cylinder, the ends that come out, that the ears of the shoes sit in. If you look at Sleepers pic, you'll probably get my poor explanation. The ears can slide side to side. So, if you are sitting at the at the hub, you can move the tops of the shoes toward you and then toward the backing plate.I don't recall the other ones doing that, but I had already tossed them, so I couldn't look. The ebrake is nowhere close to 3 or 4, and I'm going to leave it that way for now. If I yank it hard enough, it works. It locks both wheels.
I think my next step might be to stop at an auto parts store and compare the shoes I have, with what they have and see if the ears are thicker. Cause, barring 2 out of round drums, the only other issue could be the shoes were not right in some way. I think, as RJ said, I might have gotten the wrong shoes for the year. Otherwise, the brakes work fabulously.
Sure makes me wish for my old Olds and its rear disks.

 

Doing brakes, it's not a bad idea to leave one side as-is, to have as a reference when you do the other side. Just in case.

In all the drum brake jobs I’ve done the longer lining shoe faced the rear of the vehicle, and shorter lining shoe faced the front.
The front shoe which has the shorter lining is the self-energizing shoe.

How are yours set up ?