drum brakesprings tool

[chuck58pan]

what tool /tools work on springs? i have aligning pins(or bars) but they worked poorlly on jiffy-stand spring. does one tool serve well for on/off or does one style do a better job . i am mainly concerned with installing the springs with a minimum of excess stretch . hope it is not a too simplistic question but i won't be working on any other brakes in the near future and i would like to have the tool that works well. thanks chuck

[VT]

Front Brake shoe springs? Vise-Grips...(not over-gripped) to the spring shank. Then use the Vise-Grip® handles as a pull lever.
Jiffy stand spring? You don't need a puller. It goes together as a non-tensioned assembly. Maybe I can find a pic. One pic of the a certain assembly stage would explain it. If you positioned the spring attached to the plate and then use an aligning pin through the holes you can get the (4) bolts started. You can probably figure it out on your own. Just install the spring to the plate holes first, then assemble. First re-position the top key hole lug piece where the lug is pointed to the right. Then once it's assembled, the remove the lug and reposition it where the hunter tang is pointed to the keeper hole in the jiffy bracket.
Yes, I made it worse. Play with it awhile. Just remember that it all bolts together without having to stretch the spring, sort of Rubic's Cube, and you'll get there.

[Cotten]

I use no tool for the front brake shoe springs.

Merely hold one shoe in each hand with the springs hanging in place, and then "clam-shell" the shoes simultaneously upon the top pivot first, while spreading the shoes to pinch upon the cam at the bottom.

As your palms push the shoes wide as if opening a book, the tension will snap them into place when flat.

The springs must be then pried to their notches close to the backing plate to avoid rubbing the drum.

....Cotten

[chuck58pan]

your method sounds good and extremly cost=effective. just acquiring the nuts and bolts and washers of all design adds up, not to mention quality.my new fork-slider drain plugs (cad) are so chunky around the threads , I FEEL A PIECE OF SLAG will get pushed in when threaded in. I GUESS I COULD PASS A DIE OVER it. does anyone know the size ? it looks like 3/8-28 but im wondering if 1/8-27 npt is correct. not a thread guy until forced to go over everything. Glad to , i always get some paint,grease, rust etc. BEST TO ONE AND ALL FOR THE NEW YEAR

[drinner-okc]

On your side stand, bolt the bracket & spring plate in place, leaving the stand & spring on the bench, then put the stand up thru the hole, swing the stand around forward by the fender,
install the spring. then swing the stand down, put on the top 'key' and tighten the nut.
You can raise the stand putting the key in the slot to torque the nut.
No scratched chrome, no pinched fingers.
drinner-okc

[stroker]

chuck: i think mine was 1/16 inch pipe plug